Even though these words were written 3000 years ago, they might as well have been written today. Is it really worth it to serve God? He was angry and disillusioned. When they came to the elephants, the zoo keeper wanted them to have more than a verbal description, so he allowed them each to feel the elephant. Two weeks later, on January 29, authorities decided to truck the dead whale to a laboratory where they could do an autopsy. Dec 4, 1988. In further illustration of this exalted exercise, I would remark, that prayer is appointed as the act of our approach to Him. This is especially true of Psalm 73. Who did something unfair to you at work? If we are to defeat envy, we need to change our focus. God showed Asaph that it can all change so suddenly. In the worst times of your life, dont make the mistake of turning away from the only One who can help you! This raises a crucial question for the preacher: does the psalmist expect to live with God after death in verse 24b? Why do my classmates blatantly cheat on tests and assignments, and they are getting better grades than I am? This is a valuable lesson for us: When you are troubled by something in life, dont turn away from God; turn TO Him. It was a truly encouraging sermon about how our perspectives on the world can become skeweduntil we enter the sanctuary of the Lord and see from his perspective, all the way to the very end. Message. They don't face the hardships I face. So when Asaph got this revelation from God, he said Oh, Ive been so foolish. He said in :22, I was senseless and ignorant; I was like a beast before You, God. 9. There is a lesson we know as YOUNG CHICKEN LITTLE I have read how YOUNG CHICKEN LITTLE throws his whole small town into a great panic CHICKEN LITTLE CLAIMED THE SKY WAS FALLING IN This must be the end of the world. I want to talk with you for the next several weeks about the hardest, the most painful, the worst days of your life. They are free from common human burdens; they are not plagued by human ills. For I was envious of the boastful, When I saw the prosperity of the wicked. It IS going to end better it will probably end better even in this life, and it will certainly end better for her heaven. Ps 103:5; 104:28). It doesnt seem to pay? Thats the story of the Rich Man & Lazarus in Luke 16, isnt it? Their eyes swell out through fatness; their hearts overflow with follies. Sooner womens coach Sherri Coale was dejected at the press conference after the game. To help us, we will turn to the Psalms, where the raw emotions of real people who just hit the wall are expressed, and where deep reservoirs of truth are found that can help you through. D. The book of Job and Psalm 37 deal with the same problem, but in this life; Psalm 73 deals with it in light of Matthew 25. He says God is good; I know that . Envy means "I want what you have." :4 There are no pains in their death, and their body is fat. But Asaph is in trouble. He ceased being concerned about the sin of the successful and starting focusing instead on the success of the sinful. Psalm 73 begins the third book of the Psalterthe collection of some of Israel's prized hymns, ballads, and congregational hymns. In fact, God offers this invitation in Isaiah 43:26: "Take Me to court; let us argue our case together. John Piper Sep 11, 2018. In the opening verse (vs. 1), the meaning of the predicate adjective good is ambiguous. o ^Like Psalms 37 and 49, this psalm is a wisdom psalm, designed to instruct the . Scripture: Psalm 73. CSB Experiencing God Bible, Hardcover, Jacketed. a. Still, in v. 15, he stops to consider the impact his next steps will have: "If I had said, 'I will speak thus,' I would have betrayed your children." God will judge the wicked, and He will reward the righteous; those who have turned away from their sins, and followed Jesus as their Savior. You didn't see that coming. We'll be back to it some day. She said: It should end better for this kid. Psalms 73. How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of . Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. But before he relates his personal experience (vv. Clear Scripture Filters. "I nearly lost my grip on what I believe. (Lee Eclov, Vernon Hills, Illinois; source: "Thar She Blows!" This switch marks a major turning point in the poem. This wonderful psalm may be best understood by the . Self-centeredness How many rash words and unsifted actions have we wished to take back because of the negative consequences they brought about? State your [case], so that you may be vindicated." The fact that this vigorous protest is introduced by the same adverb surely as verse 1 and the fact that the phrase pure in heart is a repetition from the asseveration of divine justice in verse 1 suggest that verses 13-14 function as a counter claim to verse 1. He is a graduate of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Youll only regret it if you do. Temptation General, Temptation Resisting, Denomination: As the truck crawled through that downtown region, with crowds looking on, the whale exploded. Apparently he ignored the sound advice from Proverbs 23:17 (Do not let your heart envy sinners but always continue in the fear of the Lord). The negative moral evaluation and economic critique of verse 6 is intensified in the second part (vv. 52-week preaching calendar to help you plan your sermons, Customizable sermon manuscripts for verse-by-verse preaching, Preach with creativity and impact throughout the year, [NEW YEAR] 4-Week Series to kick off 2023, [PRODUCTIVITY] Fulfill your full potential, [FOUNDATIONS] Getting back to what matters most, In a recent survey in Discipleship Journal Magazine, readers reported that their greatest spiritual challenges came from He tells it all in v. 13: Did I purify my heart and wash my hands in innocence for nothing? On January 17, 2004, a 66-ton whale died and was beached on the southwestern coast of Taiwan, near the city of Tainan. It took 50 laborers and three lifting cranes 13 hours to hoist the 56-foot behemoth onto a flatbed trailer truck. Verses 17b-19 show us that Asaph was now seeing things differently. These are a lot like Asaphs questions, arent they? Lloyd Stilley is pastor of First Baptist Church, Gulf Shores, Alabama. In fact, he was a worship leader. Lying But the man was a sexual predator. Tag Archives: Psalm 73 sermon "The Man Who Almost Gave Up His Faith" (Psalm 73 sermon) Posted on 2018/03/12 by Shawn Thomas. To begin with, the inverse repetition of the adjective good with God in the opening and closing verses (vv. . They are utterly swept away by sudden terrors.. He found God again. What troubled the psalmist is that their lifestyle works.23. The congregation was well instructed in the theme and shape of this psalm, which presents a . Surely You place them on slippery ground; You cast them down to ruin. So dont cave in to your doubts. That poor man was carried away to eternal comfort, but the rich man found himself in agony in this flame. It is just as Psalm 73 says: You cast them down to destruction, How they are destroyed in a moment. A sermon should underscore, to borrow from the title of Robert Davidson excellent commentary, the vitality of worship. According to verse 16, human rationality could not explain the perplexing problem of why good things happen to bad people and why bad things happen to good people.62 Only the communal experience (vs. 15) in the sanctuary of God provided the necessary perspective to resolve the psalmists crisis of faith (vs. 17). Why do I serve in ministry, week after week, but it doesnt seem like it is doing any good, and no one is responding or changing? Clarke's Commentary. And yet Hugh Hefner lived in a $200 million mansion, and lived to the ripe old age of 91! They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong. They are not in trouble as other men, nor are they plagued like mankind. Moreover, the opening behold (hinneh) at the beginning of verse 27a matches the behold in the summary description of the wicked in verse 12.50 This obvious cross-reference to verse 12 shows that through his transforming temple experience the psalmist made the startling discovery that his earlier perception about the wicked was false.51 The prosperity (shalom) of the wicked is not forever! In the deepest part of your heart you just want it to end better for her. Looking back, Im glad I didnt send it! 15-16), After this passionate protest the speaker switches audience and addresses God for the first time. Why should I be honest? Last October it all came crashing down, with a New York Times investigation, and complaints by dozens of his victims. soul satisfying. This is what a lot of these Psalms are about. 37:9-10).35 In other words, the poets initial perception of the carefree lifestyle of the wicked is wrong. Sometimes things change very quickly, even here on earth, dont they? Asaph takes his raw deal to the right place and finds out that he didn't have it bad after all. "God is good to the pure in heart'? View a worship service outline based on this passage, Introduction to Psalm 73: Seeing Clearly in the Sanctuary by Carl Bosma. Psalm 25:6-9 All The Wrong Notes. How do you hold to the conviction that God is good when life stinks? As we will see shortly, this is a man who is resting in God's goodness. Morning by morning (Ps 101:8), when one would expect a gracious word from God, he is chastised. He says, there are wicked people in the world, whom you would THINK God would be punishing, but instead they are not only not being punished, they are succeeding; they are prospering. Maybe people who walked by and saw the Rich Man & Lazarus were tempted to give up THEIR faith. On the contrary, in verse 16 he reports that when he tried to understand the problem concerning the prosperity of the wicked and the suffering of the righteous, when he tried to develop a theodicy, it became a burden (vs. 5) in his eyes. In light of the verses that follow, good could be taken to refer to material goods (cf. It can only be understood from an eschatological perspective.31, Surprisingly, the psalmist does not report how entry into the sanctuary would provide the necessary insight. All he could only see their immediate pleasure. On the basis of these and other repetitions the compositional structure of Psalm 73 may be subdivided as follows: vs. 1; vv. Look at v. 3: "For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked." v2 But (this is what happened) to me. Envy had poisoned him and had powerful effects on him. What do you do when with your theology clashes with reality? III. He wrestles with the tension of holding onto God's goodness and sovereignty while dealing the tragedies he was experiencing. Thats why its so important to be here at church on a regular basis. sermon outline overlap with other sermon outlines taken from the Book of Psalms. This happened for Asaph in verses 16-17: "But when . And it shows us that we can do that with God too; these Psalms give us permission to bring our honest hurts and feelings to God, and say like these Psalmists: On either translation, it is the entry into Gods sanctuary that permits insight into the fate of the wicked. (616) 526-6088 worship@calvin.edu, On the campus of Calvin University and Calvin Theological Seminary, See our related website, Zeteo Preaching and Worship. May Gods word continue to bless your life! For more information, see ourPrivacy Policy. 13-14) to praise of Gods handiwork (Gen 2:2).57 Now he speaks no longer as an ignorant beast; instead, through Gods guiding counsel he has now become a spiritually enlightened witness.58. The section as a whole concludes with a summary statement in verse 12, a verse in which the term wicked is repeated from verse 3 and the phrase at ease (NRSV; cf. Lot of these Psalms are about ; ll be back to it some day the game that poor was! God is good to the right place and finds out that he did n't have it after! A gracious word from God, he said in:22, I remark! The preacher: does the psalmist expect to live with God after death verse... Its so important to be here at Church on a regular basis rash words and actions! Sherri Coale was dejected at the press conference after the game investigation, and lived to the conviction God..., this Psalm is a wisdom Psalm, designed to instruct the passionate protest the speaker audience! 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