As I said in the beginning of service, we have now gone back to book one of the
summer of Psalms, which if you remember, I know all of you remember that six
summers ago that we ended on Psalm 13. So we are starting with Psalm 14,
but I have a question. We say this term in kind of reform theology and our
understanding of catechism and those in the building blocks of what we believe
and why we believe what we believe. There's something called the three forms
of unity. Okay, so this is a little pop quiz. I'm not going to put, I'll put coffee
on it, that's fine. And Dan, you're not allowed to answer, wherever Arzma is
over there, or any of our catechism teachers. What are the three forms of
unity that we hold in kind of reform theology? I'll wait. Yeah, Randy. The
Belgian Confession. Oh yeah, oh yeah, maybe you should have thought about it
faster. Belgian Confession. Canons Adort. No, don't try to get into it someone else
trying to say it. No, this coffee is not for you. And the Heideberg Catechism. So
the Heideberg Catechism, the Canons Adort, the Belgian Confession, these are
writings for specific times and purposes when they were written, but still very
much alive today that help us understand the scriptures. Now some of you may say,
well why do I need that? Why don't I just read the Bible? And you'd be fine to do
that, but the Catechism, the Canons Adort, and the Belgian Confession are beautiful
documents that we hold true together because they stand on God's Word. And
this summer we're going to dive into all three of those in these Psalms because
there's a beautiful understanding that comes out of these that helps us grow as
believers. And one of the things I'm going to challenge you all with is over
this summer tap into one of the catechisms, or tap into one of our three
forms of unity, the Heideberg Catechism, the Belgian Confession. That is my, if I
had to pick a favorite, right, it would be the Belgian Confession. I love how it
reads and how it helps me understand God as faithful creator. And that's one of
the things we're looking at this summer is kind of the depths of God's
faithfulness. And what we're going to look at today is our unfaithfulness
despite God's faithfulness. But this thing about unity is important because as
churches we should be unified and it's clear in a lot of cases in our world
today we're not. But I'm going to bring that just to the governance level here at
Munster Church. Next week we're going to cast lots for elders and deacons. You
know, we're going to hopefully approve the slate today. We'll talk about that
afterwards. But the goal is to have unity in the room. Now that does not mean
yes men, right? Where's Roger Montman? Roger Montman, have you ever been known as,
I'm not going to ask you, Cheryl, has Roger ever been known as a yes man? Not
even to you. You've said that aloud now to everybody and it's on the internet.
Understand that a lot of times a lot of people think councils are yes men. April,
has Brad, is Brad a yes man? She's answering before I even ask the
question. That a lot of people think that the council when they come together that
the pastor just gets its say. I have been told no in the council room more
than I've been told yes. Can I get an amen from my council? Well at least three
of you are good. The rest of you wake up. But understand that unity in the room
that doesn't mean we're all going to agree. Even like on the staff level. But
elders, deacons, sometimes when we get in a room we don't agree and there's
a beautiful clashing that goes on. But that doesn't mean we're not unified. It
doesn't mean that if we are at odds in a room or a vote or whatever it doesn't
mean we don't take a bullet for our brothers as we walk out of there. One of
them is calling right now to answer. We hear that. They're calling to say no I'm
not a yes man. Don't call. Be in church. But understand I had a pastor, senior
pastor Joel Shears when I was his associate at Crown Point. And people that
know Joel and I know that we are, I don't use the term best friend much, but he
would be considered one of my closest friends. And there were times in our
ministry together that we warred in the room. We would disagree. We would be, we
would think our position was right or whatever. I would understand I'm the two
and so I got to be careful talking to the senior. But understand he
respected my opinion and we clashed. There were times we did this but the
church never knew about it. Because as we walked out of that room we were unified
in the essentials. We were unified in the non-negotiables. The negotiables we
showed grace. In the non-negotiables we unified. And I think that's where the
Psalms are gonna bring us this summer and I'm really excited about it. Because
as we look as the vision and the future of Munster Church is getting bigger and
changing a little bit over the years, I think we all, though we may disagree on
some things, we need to be unified together because I guarantee you Satan is
looking for the weak links. He's looking for those cracks. He's looking for to
make faithful people unfaithful to each other and ultimately to God because in
that he can just let it happen then. Once that snowball starts rolling down the
hill it takes, it doesn't take it much, take Satan much to keep it going because
we tend to self-destruct when it comes to that. And so we're gonna look at this
understanding of what it means to be unified given our three forms of unity
but also the faithfulness of God in the Psalms and it starts right off the bat.
We're gonna be the first three verses of Psalm 14. The fool says in his heart
there is no God. They are corrupt. Their deeds are vile. There is no one who does
good. The Lord looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are
anyone who understands, any who seek God. All have turned away. All have become
corrupt. There is no one who does good. Not even one. Okay, so let's break that
down. If you don't believe in God you're a fool. Fair enough. May the Lord bless
you and keep you. May his face shine in you. That could be the sermon but the
interesting thing about what the Psalm of David has to show us is that the fool
says it in their heart and what the Proverbs, what Solomon then tells us later
on, is out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. 2024, out of the
overflow of the heart the fingers type. They send emails. They post things.
Believe me, very much looking forward to that coming election
season said no one ever, especially pastors. Understand that you may say that
you believe in God but in your heart you may not and there is a clash there and
if that is the case maybe that's you or someone you know in your life there's
not a whole lot of good things that come out of that. There's no fruit of being a
fool. They're corrupt. They do abominable deeds. There is none who does good. The
Lord looks down from heaven on the children of man to see that
there, to see if there are any who understands who seek after God. They have
all turned aside. They've all become corrupt. What does that word mean? In your
definition what does the word corrupt mean? Polluted. That's a good word.
Interesting Larry. Others. Evil. Selfish. Broken. Vile. Tainted. Yeah. Not all good
things, right? Not all good things because when a corrupt heart takes over
every part of the body becomes corrupt. A little yeast ruins the entire dough. If
you allow that act of sin in your life and we've talked about this most Sundays
you can't have a foot in the light and the foot in the dark then you've become
corrupt. If you open up the Belgian Confession and you look at the beginning
section of articles mainly articles 2 through 13 these articles speak about
God's revelation through creation and Scripture and his ongoing governance in
the world. It is really hard for me to reconcile a believer being corrupt when
if they recognize that God is the creator, sustainer, and preserver of the
world. But I think it's that third piece that throws us because we can look out
in the world today and it's all chaos and we go God you're not preserving
anything. I'm being hurt by the world or maybe you're the one doing the hurting.
We see the world just completely in chaos and go how in the world is God
preserving anything? And I think in some ways I have to say and I say this to
myself first how dare I look at it that way? Because there's then not only a lack
of faith that I have but then I'm also not trusting, faith and trust go hand in
hand that God is who he says he is. Now what the Belgian Confession brings us to
is a truth that despite humanity's rebellion and corruption God remains
faithful in sustaining creation. The world continues to function, seasons
change, and life persists all due to God's faithful providence. I could sit
down with each and every one of you and ask when has God been faithful in your
life or when has God's providence brought you through a situation and I
guarantee you all have one. Whether you realize it or not God has brought you
through something and it's the same God that brought you to it and giving
testimony to that is the power of the gospel in our life and the power of
faithful witness in the world. How do people know that you're a believer?
Because you go to Munster Church? No that's not enough. It's the faithful
witness of your life in the world. There's power in that. This is what God
has done in my life. Think now over the last month of your life and I know for
some of you don't remember what you had for tea yesterday but when is the last
time you told somebody this is what God has done or is doing in my life? It's one
of the best emails, text messages, conversations I can have as a pastor is
when a believer whether new believer, mature believer is saying God is working
something in me. I feel God pushing me somewhere or raising this gift up or
whatever and I love it. I just said I don't there's not a whole lot I can say
outside of amen. Yeah there are times that you know people are what they
believe is God might be an ego or a pride and my job is to check that a
little bit but it's not it's not my job to get in front of God's plan. It's not
our it's not your job to get in front of God's plan it's our job to get on board
with what the Holy Spirit's already doing. That takes trust. Did anyone fly
this week? Did anyone go on a plane? You went on a plane okay. Where were you? You
were coming here? From where? Texas. About how long of a flight is that? Two-ish
hours. Did you have any doubt on the pilots ability to get you from Texas to
did you fly into O'Hare? Midway okay into Midway? No no doubt. Why? You don't worry
that's yeah that's fantastic. That's you don't worry that's fantastic. How many of
you worried about the pilots ability to fly a plane? Be honest. Then why do you
fly? I know we're laughing but some of you like like I get it but why do you do
it? You will trust a pilot. I know some pilots. I don't fly when they're when
they're being pilots when they're piloting. Sure like I get that but you
still do it we still do it. It's it's we don't think about these things. That is
something very tangible right? How many of you enjoy driving downtown? That's the
right response. That is the right response. We'll work on the scuts right?
No one likes to because they're worried about all these different things yet we
still do it. Carrie and I are planning an anniversary just an overnight downtown
sometime this summer and my mom came to me and I love her for this and my mom is
one of my my prayer warriors and she goes I really don't like that you're
going downtown and I am old enough to say mom too bad we're gonna go downtown
right and then she grounded me I didn't know you can be grounded at 39 but she
did you know but understand we still do it we still step into it almost without
thinking yet there are times we will look at the providence of the creator of
the world the one that said star there star there this is when the Sun comes up
this is when the moon goes down this is when the tides are gonna go this is how
a baby is born right from the first couple seconds all of these things and
we're gonna go I just don't know if I can trust that plan yeah that silence
seems right because we will put our faith in material worldly things yet we
will remove it from heavenly spiritual things for whatever reason what we need
to recognize and give thanks simply for every day is God's provision in your
life how do I know somebody like you don't know that God's providing for me
yeah I do how can I how can I know that because I'm looking out at all of you
and you're all closed and I thank God for that we have a policy here much like
Burger King no shirt no shoes no service now I could care less if you don't wear
shoes for the person next to you might but you're all clothed when's the last
time you thank God for clothing and I'm looking at myself I opened up my closet
and I didn't go wow Lord you are great I know my wife doesn't like when I wear
these but I don't care like when's the last time you thank God for that right I
see our farmer I'm gonna go to the farm right when's the last time did you thank
God to stop rain today or do you still want more rain we need to know who to
blame you're finished with rain okay Jesse's done with rain the Smedberg
weather gauge hopefully we don't have any more but I mean think about that we
talked a little bit about it last week that in the Smedberg house they have to
wait on weather for their job I've never thought about that I've thought about
man it's raining I don't know if I need I don't know if I can make my don't don't
hate on me Jesse my seven-minute drive to church because it's raining never
thought that but understand that these things that we take for granted you have
to we still have to give God praise for that and thanks for that those daily
provisions in life we need to recognize and give thanks for that because when we
don't what happens we start taking them for granted and I think that that is
something that is being illuminated when the fool says there is no God they're
not thankful for anything because it's all on them what if life was all based
on you your choices all the things you bring to the table our lives would be
terrible regardless of how good you are as a person but then we pick up on
verses 4 through 6 still going on the fools for they have no lot no knowledge
all our evil do all our evildoers who eat up my people as they eat bread and
do not call upon the Lord there there they are in great terror going to verse
6 for God is with the generations of the righteous you who shame the plans of the
poor but the Lord is his refuge all you evildoers know nothing none of you
regardless of your relationship with Jesus can say that today because you've
understood as best we can the table of our Lord you have been preached to now
about a truth in God's Word so all of none of you can say you have no
knowledge I the question that gets me and a lot of the pastors that we would
when we get together we talk about we'll always have someone that says well what
about the Aborigines that's never had any social interaction or anybody come
and bring them the gospel what about their lives does God save them tell me
pastor Jim what happens when they die I don't know I'm not there and I'm not God
I guarantee you someone's gonna still gonna ask me this by the end of the
summer but understand that if God's bringing to mind those questions God's
not wasting that in you why are you why are you thinking about that why is God
putting that into your brain why is God putting that into your heart maybe it's
to be a missionary maybe it's to get you out of the comfort zone and not worry so
much about random aborigines in Timbuktu but maybe it's the neighbor
across the street that you know doesn't know Jesus maybe that's what this
understanding of hey let's not make people fools maybe that's what the Psalm
is talking about the Hedibur cataclysm is a great kind of question and answer
cataclysm that really helps us work through some of the things of faith and
there are a lot of questions that focus on our comfort in life and in death we
we talked about that already this morning that Lord's Day one but it's a
reminder that God is not only faithful but he is a faithful father and redeemer
of people that he is a faithful father a father that wants the best for his
children a father that isn't always a tyrant you know a father that isn't the
easygoing do whatever dad but he is a faithful father to provide for you to
give you what you stand in need of that is a job of a father and what the
hardware catechism especially in the beginning sections really help us center
on is despite us being sinful human beings God's faithfulness shines through
his redemptive work while we were still sinners Christ died for you and for me
for us while we were still sinners that's important because it means we're
never going to stop sinning friends we do not believe in a life of perfection
on this side of the world on this side of eternity in glory yes what we see lit
dimly in the mirror we will see face to face but we are striving towards that
faithfulness striving Ford striving toward those things that pop out in our
life that God is my refuge and my salvation he is the one that I call out
to when hell on earth shows up it takes belief it takes faith to lean into God
during those times doesn't it it holds no comfort when things are going wrong
in life and Satan comes in and says see that's not real God clearly doesn't care
about you because you're going through this suffering you're going through this
trial you're going through this conflict you're going through insert
whatever he's the one that's reminding you that God isn't in it yet God has
said I am with you always to the very end of the day when you walk through
the waters I'll be with you through the waves the fire the chaos of life I am
there yet we forget about it one of the things that we need to do in our faith
is not only thank God for the provisions of life but embrace the assurance of
salvation through Jesus Christ in times of feeling overwhelmed by personal
failures or the brokenness of the world we need to rest in the knowledge that
God's faithfulness in redemption is unwavering though we waver like crazy our
redemption through Christ is unwavering I was looking at potential examples of
this and John Newton does anyone know who John Newton was yep yeah he wrote
Amazing Grace the author of that Newton was once a slave trader living a life
far from God however through a series of events including a terrifying storm at
sea he began to reflect on his life and ultimately experienced a profound
conversion to Christianity Newton's life transformed dramatically as he became a
prominent advocate against the slave trade and a devoted minister of the
gospel his story exemplifies the redemptive power of God's grace despite
his sinful past God's faithfulness reached him offering redemption and a
new purpose Joe casting the powerful truth that God can redeem and restore
anyone who turns to him I don't know about you friends but that is powerful
so let's jump to verse 7 that wraps it all up oh that salvation for Israel will
come out of Zion when the Lord restores the fortunes of his people let Jacob
resort rejoice let Israel be glad is the process friends this isn't something
we're all gonna get every time that there are gonna be days that you feel
like you've taken three steps back and no steps forward but then they're gonna
be days that you feel like you take three steps forward and no steps back
and we're feeling high we have the camp I the retreat I God's at work
everything seems to be going right it's the reminder that when things don't go
right God is still there we can still have that connection God never left if
you read the canons of Dort the heading number five the section deals with the
perseverance of the Saints that would be the P in tulip right or the H in
faith as we talked about during lent held by God perseverance of the Saints
which affirms that God preserves the chosen ones in faith that if you claim
Christ as Lord and Savior God is preserving your life though you may pass
away in this life he is preserving you he is keeping you together even when you
feel like you're falling apart the truth of that word is that God's
faithfulness extends to preserving his people even when we falter God ensures
that those he has called were persevere to the end nobody knew that Friday night
around 11 o'clock Jim Wiltshire was going to meet his Savior from what Jim
Jr. told me they had put him to bed they went back about an hour later and they
they found him gone he is he was in glory that I bet if we could have asked
him that Jim Wiltshire senior would have been praising the name of his Savior up
to that last point and I guess that's the challenge for all of us today none
of you know even if you've gotten some kind of diagnosis where the doctor has
to give you a timeline which I know they're kind of backing away from doing
a lot with the advancements and cancer treatments and all that stuff but none
of us know friend it could be tomorrow friend it could be at three o'clock
today none of us know and I don't say that to scare you but how you standing
knowing that God is providing for you his provision over your life is there
his redemptive work is going on through you and he is persevering you to the
very very end for when we know that oh and this is big when we understand that
God is persevering me it's not me persevering God God needs no
preservation I do because I falter because I fall because I get knocked
down God's the one preserving me it really should give us perspective in
life that the anger we feel isn't the biggest thing in our world the hurt that
we're feeling I don't want to minimize hurts because we all get hurt and we all
do hurting but if God is persevering us if it's God preserving you if his salt
is preserving your life can one person take that away no can two people take
that away sometimes I hate to say can a church even take that away and I know
for some of you've been hurt by the church but the church does not
substitute God's provision in your life it can't it won't but it gives us
perspective it causes us to step back to count to ten to look at what God is
doing in a situation now a lot of us are like me and we like to react right we
like to shoot from the hip we like to react 17 years 17 and a half years in
the ministry I've learned I can't do that because it rarely goes well because
I'm an idiot and a lot of times when I do this idiot comes out not pastor and
so understand that what God is preserving in me in this season is to
sit back is to try to understand try to reflect try to bring together what I
think God is doing I'm gonna ask that you join me in that let's talk about
corporately for just two minutes what is God calling Munster Church to be friend
we've not made it there's no making it as a church so if you have that
understanding take it out flush it it's done what is God calling Munster Church
to be here at 214 Ridge Road what is he called it to be when it was over there a
hundred and fifty almost 54 years ago when they moved it when it burned down
all of those pastors over there what has been the call well that's easy to love
God and love people great that's what Jesus called all of us to be that's what
Jesus called all of us to do in Matthew 28 but what does it mean for this space
what does it mean for this place and it's not that Jim does all the work
believe me it's not and it's not that to the elders and the deacons do all the
work though they do a lot it's that all of us are getting to work so what are
you passionate about what is God preserving in your life when you think
of the church what comes to mind take note of that because for some of you
it's all the things that we do wrong it's all the things that I don't like
it's all the let me just put this out there right I may get fired tomorrow
but I'm gonna put it out there the church is not here to meet all of your
needs it's not the church is here to provide the mission of the gospel for a
world that desperately needs it and guess what he's called all of us to get
involved he's called all of us to say hey go and make disciples so what is God
calling you what is God gifting you in no another shameful plug until all of
you take it I'm going to plug it right the spiritual gifts inventory it's not
gospel truth but it's a helpful tool to have those conversations and Mike has
done a great job where you can start interpreting it yourself I'd still love
to meet with you okay done with that but it will come back next week unless we
get 300 of them this week but what is he asking of you what is he looking at you
and saying hey this is where we need to work on your faith but this is where we
need to take your faith out into the streets this is where Munster Church
needs your gift this is where you need to go and help this or that because if
you're if you're just sitting here sitting on the sidelines it's going I've
been in this church all my life let the new kids do it that is counterintuitive
to what the Bible says the old men see dream dreams the young men see visions a
church of acts every generation was moving forward even the babies so what
is God asking for you and what is God asking of you this summer friend don't
waste the summer the summer with these Psalms are going to be a tremendous time
for us to not only dive into God's Word these specific Psalms we're gonna hear
from some other preachers and that's gonna be exciting too some new ones I've
never preached here before and that's exciting what is God asking of you God's
gonna change the life of six people next week when we cast lots we don't know who
it is we love the Holy Spirit does that's six out of 350 so that's six if my
math is correct that leaves oh my 346 of you no well I added two there would be
two new ones calm down I knew that was bad from the beginning I should not
publicly do math not have the call of the Deacon that's for sure at least the
treasure Jesse amen amen to that yeah you know you would understand what is
God calling you to do never once does it say God's calling you to be on the
sideline what does it mean for you to get in the game and let's dive in and
not only God's words but our confessions to help lead us to whatever that is
a new thing I'm gonna do for this summer of Psalms because that kind of comes out
it did at least this week as I was writing I'm gonna ask that you please
stand I'm gonna ask that we pray this closing prayer together it'll be on the
screens three two one Heavenly Father we thank you for your unwavering
faithfulness help us to trust in your providence rest in your redemption and
find confidence in your preserving grace strengthen our faith and guide us into
living lives that reflect your glory in Jesus name we pray amen and may the