1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:11,560 As I said in the beginning of service, we have now gone back to book one of the 2 00:00:11,560 --> 00:00:15,960 summer of Psalms, which if you remember, I know all of you remember that six 3 00:00:15,960 --> 00:00:21,520 summers ago that we ended on Psalm 13. So we are starting with Psalm 14, 4 00:00:21,520 --> 00:00:28,600 but I have a question. We say this term in kind of reform theology and our 5 00:00:28,600 --> 00:00:32,440 understanding of catechism and those in the building blocks of what we believe 6 00:00:32,440 --> 00:00:36,880 and why we believe what we believe. There's something called the three forms 7 00:00:36,880 --> 00:00:44,640 of unity. Okay, so this is a little pop quiz. I'm not going to put, I'll put coffee 8 00:00:44,640 --> 00:00:48,400 on it, that's fine. And Dan, you're not allowed to answer, wherever Arzma is 9 00:00:48,400 --> 00:00:54,200 over there, or any of our catechism teachers. What are the three forms of 10 00:00:54,200 --> 00:01:06,440 unity that we hold in kind of reform theology? I'll wait. Yeah, Randy. The 11 00:01:06,440 --> 00:01:11,180 Belgian Confession. Oh yeah, oh yeah, maybe you should have thought about it 12 00:01:11,180 --> 00:01:16,720 faster. Belgian Confession. Canons Adort. No, don't try to get into it someone else 13 00:01:16,720 --> 00:01:22,080 trying to say it. No, this coffee is not for you. And the Heideberg Catechism. So 14 00:01:22,080 --> 00:01:25,120 the Heideberg Catechism, the Canons Adort, the Belgian Confession, these are 15 00:01:25,120 --> 00:01:30,200 writings for specific times and purposes when they were written, but still very 16 00:01:30,200 --> 00:01:36,040 much alive today that help us understand the scriptures. Now some of you may say, 17 00:01:36,040 --> 00:01:40,160 well why do I need that? Why don't I just read the Bible? And you'd be fine to do 18 00:01:40,160 --> 00:01:45,960 that, but the Catechism, the Canons Adort, and the Belgian Confession are beautiful 19 00:01:45,960 --> 00:01:54,800 documents that we hold true together because they stand on God's Word. And 20 00:01:54,800 --> 00:01:59,920 this summer we're going to dive into all three of those in these Psalms because 21 00:01:59,920 --> 00:02:05,280 there's a beautiful understanding that comes out of these that helps us grow as 22 00:02:05,280 --> 00:02:10,880 believers. And one of the things I'm going to challenge you all with is over 23 00:02:10,880 --> 00:02:14,800 this summer tap into one of the catechisms, or tap into one of our three 24 00:02:14,800 --> 00:02:18,680 forms of unity, the Heideberg Catechism, the Belgian Confession. That is my, if I 25 00:02:18,680 --> 00:02:22,640 had to pick a favorite, right, it would be the Belgian Confession. I love how it 26 00:02:22,640 --> 00:02:28,120 reads and how it helps me understand God as faithful creator. And that's one of 27 00:02:28,120 --> 00:02:30,720 the things we're looking at this summer is kind of the depths of God's 28 00:02:30,720 --> 00:02:35,080 faithfulness. And what we're going to look at today is our unfaithfulness 29 00:02:35,080 --> 00:02:42,280 despite God's faithfulness. But this thing about unity is important because as 30 00:02:42,280 --> 00:02:46,040 churches we should be unified and it's clear in a lot of cases in our world 31 00:02:46,040 --> 00:02:50,400 today we're not. But I'm going to bring that just to the governance level here at 32 00:02:50,400 --> 00:02:54,880 Munster Church. Next week we're going to cast lots for elders and deacons. You 33 00:02:54,880 --> 00:02:58,520 know, we're going to hopefully approve the slate today. We'll talk about that 34 00:02:58,520 --> 00:03:03,320 afterwards. But the goal is to have unity in the room. Now that does not mean 35 00:03:03,320 --> 00:03:08,120 yes men, right? Where's Roger Montman? Roger Montman, have you ever been known as, 36 00:03:08,120 --> 00:03:13,440 I'm not going to ask you, Cheryl, has Roger ever been known as a yes man? Not 37 00:03:13,440 --> 00:03:17,880 even to you. You've said that aloud now to everybody and it's on the internet. 38 00:03:17,880 --> 00:03:23,360 Understand that a lot of times a lot of people think councils are yes men. April, 39 00:03:23,360 --> 00:03:27,680 has Brad, is Brad a yes man? She's answering before I even ask the 40 00:03:27,680 --> 00:03:31,440 question. That a lot of people think that the council when they come together that 41 00:03:31,440 --> 00:03:36,360 the pastor just gets its say. I have been told no in the council room more 42 00:03:36,360 --> 00:03:41,520 than I've been told yes. Can I get an amen from my council? Well at least three 43 00:03:41,520 --> 00:03:45,280 of you are good. The rest of you wake up. But understand that unity in the room 44 00:03:45,280 --> 00:03:49,920 that doesn't mean we're all going to agree. Even like on the staff level. But 45 00:03:49,920 --> 00:03:53,640 elders, deacons, sometimes when we get in a room we don't agree and there's 46 00:03:53,640 --> 00:03:58,280 a beautiful clashing that goes on. But that doesn't mean we're not unified. It 47 00:03:58,280 --> 00:04:02,360 doesn't mean that if we are at odds in a room or a vote or whatever it doesn't 48 00:04:02,360 --> 00:04:06,880 mean we don't take a bullet for our brothers as we walk out of there. One of 49 00:04:06,880 --> 00:04:10,360 them is calling right now to answer. We hear that. They're calling to say no I'm 50 00:04:10,360 --> 00:04:16,240 not a yes man. Don't call. Be in church. But understand I had a pastor, senior 51 00:04:16,240 --> 00:04:21,240 pastor Joel Shears when I was his associate at Crown Point. And people that 52 00:04:21,240 --> 00:04:25,960 know Joel and I know that we are, I don't use the term best friend much, but he 53 00:04:25,960 --> 00:04:30,680 would be considered one of my closest friends. And there were times in our 54 00:04:30,680 --> 00:04:36,200 ministry together that we warred in the room. We would disagree. We would be, we 55 00:04:36,200 --> 00:04:39,240 would think our position was right or whatever. I would understand I'm the two 56 00:04:39,240 --> 00:04:43,040 and so I got to be careful talking to the senior. But understand he 57 00:04:43,040 --> 00:04:48,400 respected my opinion and we clashed. There were times we did this but the 58 00:04:48,400 --> 00:04:53,760 church never knew about it. Because as we walked out of that room we were unified 59 00:04:53,760 --> 00:05:01,160 in the essentials. We were unified in the non-negotiables. The negotiables we 60 00:05:01,160 --> 00:05:05,340 showed grace. In the non-negotiables we unified. And I think that's where the 61 00:05:05,340 --> 00:05:09,120 Psalms are gonna bring us this summer and I'm really excited about it. Because 62 00:05:09,120 --> 00:05:13,360 as we look as the vision and the future of Munster Church is getting bigger and 63 00:05:13,360 --> 00:05:18,080 changing a little bit over the years, I think we all, though we may disagree on 64 00:05:18,080 --> 00:05:22,840 some things, we need to be unified together because I guarantee you Satan is 65 00:05:22,840 --> 00:05:27,840 looking for the weak links. He's looking for those cracks. He's looking for to 66 00:05:27,840 --> 00:05:32,680 make faithful people unfaithful to each other and ultimately to God because in 67 00:05:32,680 --> 00:05:36,520 that he can just let it happen then. Once that snowball starts rolling down the 68 00:05:36,520 --> 00:05:41,520 hill it takes, it doesn't take it much, take Satan much to keep it going because 69 00:05:41,520 --> 00:05:45,640 we tend to self-destruct when it comes to that. And so we're gonna look at this 70 00:05:45,640 --> 00:05:51,120 understanding of what it means to be unified given our three forms of unity 71 00:05:51,120 --> 00:05:56,760 but also the faithfulness of God in the Psalms and it starts right off the bat. 72 00:05:56,760 --> 00:06:03,560 We're gonna be the first three verses of Psalm 14. The fool says in his heart 73 00:06:03,560 --> 00:06:09,880 there is no God. They are corrupt. Their deeds are vile. There is no one who does 74 00:06:09,880 --> 00:06:15,320 good. The Lord looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are 75 00:06:15,320 --> 00:06:21,840 anyone who understands, any who seek God. All have turned away. All have become 76 00:06:21,840 --> 00:06:30,560 corrupt. There is no one who does good. Not even one. Okay, so let's break that 77 00:06:30,560 --> 00:06:34,360 down. If you don't believe in God you're a fool. Fair enough. May the Lord bless 78 00:06:34,360 --> 00:06:38,440 you and keep you. May his face shine in you. That could be the sermon but the 79 00:06:38,440 --> 00:06:44,040 interesting thing about what the Psalm of David has to show us is that the fool 80 00:06:44,040 --> 00:06:48,280 says it in their heart and what the Proverbs, what Solomon then tells us later 81 00:06:48,280 --> 00:06:52,880 on, is out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. 2024, out of the 82 00:06:52,880 --> 00:06:58,360 overflow of the heart the fingers type. They send emails. They post things. 83 00:06:58,360 --> 00:07:02,560 Believe me, very much looking forward to that coming election 84 00:07:02,560 --> 00:07:09,920 season said no one ever, especially pastors. Understand that you may say that 85 00:07:09,920 --> 00:07:15,320 you believe in God but in your heart you may not and there is a clash there and 86 00:07:15,320 --> 00:07:20,600 if that is the case maybe that's you or someone you know in your life there's 87 00:07:20,600 --> 00:07:24,120 not a whole lot of good things that come out of that. There's no fruit of being a 88 00:07:24,120 --> 00:07:31,240 fool. They're corrupt. They do abominable deeds. There is none who does good. The 89 00:07:31,240 --> 00:07:36,480 Lord looks down from heaven on the children of man to see that 90 00:07:36,480 --> 00:07:40,480 there, to see if there are any who understands who seek after God. They have 91 00:07:40,480 --> 00:07:46,760 all turned aside. They've all become corrupt. What does that word mean? In your 92 00:07:46,760 --> 00:07:53,160 definition what does the word corrupt mean? Polluted. That's a good word. 93 00:07:53,160 --> 00:08:05,480 Interesting Larry. Others. Evil. Selfish. Broken. Vile. Tainted. Yeah. Not all good 94 00:08:05,480 --> 00:08:10,800 things, right? Not all good things because when a corrupt heart takes over 95 00:08:10,800 --> 00:08:16,720 every part of the body becomes corrupt. A little yeast ruins the entire dough. If 96 00:08:16,720 --> 00:08:21,400 you allow that act of sin in your life and we've talked about this most Sundays 97 00:08:21,400 --> 00:08:25,360 you can't have a foot in the light and the foot in the dark then you've become 98 00:08:25,360 --> 00:08:30,680 corrupt. If you open up the Belgian Confession and you look at the beginning 99 00:08:30,680 --> 00:08:35,360 section of articles mainly articles 2 through 13 these articles speak about 100 00:08:35,360 --> 00:08:40,560 God's revelation through creation and Scripture and his ongoing governance in 101 00:08:40,560 --> 00:08:46,240 the world. It is really hard for me to reconcile a believer being corrupt when 102 00:08:46,240 --> 00:08:51,820 if they recognize that God is the creator, sustainer, and preserver of the 103 00:08:51,820 --> 00:08:56,440 world. But I think it's that third piece that throws us because we can look out 104 00:08:56,440 --> 00:09:01,960 in the world today and it's all chaos and we go God you're not preserving 105 00:09:01,960 --> 00:09:07,080 anything. I'm being hurt by the world or maybe you're the one doing the hurting. 106 00:09:07,080 --> 00:09:12,040 We see the world just completely in chaos and go how in the world is God 107 00:09:12,040 --> 00:09:17,200 preserving anything? And I think in some ways I have to say and I say this to 108 00:09:17,200 --> 00:09:22,360 myself first how dare I look at it that way? Because there's then not only a lack 109 00:09:22,360 --> 00:09:27,240 of faith that I have but then I'm also not trusting, faith and trust go hand in 110 00:09:27,240 --> 00:09:34,160 hand that God is who he says he is. Now what the Belgian Confession brings us to 111 00:09:34,160 --> 00:09:39,920 is a truth that despite humanity's rebellion and corruption God remains 112 00:09:39,920 --> 00:09:47,040 faithful in sustaining creation. The world continues to function, seasons 113 00:09:47,040 --> 00:09:54,320 change, and life persists all due to God's faithful providence. I could sit 114 00:09:54,320 --> 00:09:58,600 down with each and every one of you and ask when has God been faithful in your 115 00:09:58,600 --> 00:10:02,840 life or when has God's providence brought you through a situation and I 116 00:10:02,840 --> 00:10:06,960 guarantee you all have one. Whether you realize it or not God has brought you 117 00:10:06,960 --> 00:10:10,920 through something and it's the same God that brought you to it and giving 118 00:10:10,920 --> 00:10:14,760 testimony to that is the power of the gospel in our life and the power of 119 00:10:14,760 --> 00:10:18,600 faithful witness in the world. How do people know that you're a believer? 120 00:10:18,600 --> 00:10:23,120 Because you go to Munster Church? No that's not enough. It's the faithful 121 00:10:23,120 --> 00:10:27,920 witness of your life in the world. There's power in that. This is what God 122 00:10:27,920 --> 00:10:33,720 has done in my life. Think now over the last month of your life and I know for 123 00:10:33,720 --> 00:10:37,680 some of you don't remember what you had for tea yesterday but when is the last 124 00:10:37,680 --> 00:10:44,800 time you told somebody this is what God has done or is doing in my life? It's one 125 00:10:44,800 --> 00:10:48,480 of the best emails, text messages, conversations I can have as a pastor is 126 00:10:48,480 --> 00:10:53,600 when a believer whether new believer, mature believer is saying God is working 127 00:10:53,600 --> 00:10:58,960 something in me. I feel God pushing me somewhere or raising this gift up or 128 00:10:58,960 --> 00:11:05,400 whatever and I love it. I just said I don't there's not a whole lot I can say 129 00:11:05,400 --> 00:11:10,760 outside of amen. Yeah there are times that you know people are what they 130 00:11:10,760 --> 00:11:15,000 believe is God might be an ego or a pride and my job is to check that a 131 00:11:15,000 --> 00:11:21,600 little bit but it's not it's not my job to get in front of God's plan. It's not 132 00:11:21,600 --> 00:11:25,200 our it's not your job to get in front of God's plan it's our job to get on board 133 00:11:25,200 --> 00:11:32,880 with what the Holy Spirit's already doing. That takes trust. Did anyone fly 134 00:11:32,880 --> 00:11:38,160 this week? Did anyone go on a plane? You went on a plane okay. Where were you? You 135 00:11:38,160 --> 00:11:44,200 were coming here? From where? Texas. About how long of a flight is that? Two-ish 136 00:11:44,200 --> 00:11:50,280 hours. Did you have any doubt on the pilots ability to get you from Texas to 137 00:11:50,280 --> 00:11:59,560 did you fly into O'Hare? Midway okay into Midway? No no doubt. Why? You don't worry 138 00:11:59,560 --> 00:12:04,400 that's yeah that's fantastic. That's you don't worry that's fantastic. How many of 139 00:12:04,400 --> 00:12:10,160 you worried about the pilots ability to fly a plane? Be honest. Then why do you 140 00:12:10,160 --> 00:12:19,320 fly? I know we're laughing but some of you like like I get it but why do you do 141 00:12:19,320 --> 00:12:27,640 it? You will trust a pilot. I know some pilots. I don't fly when they're when 142 00:12:27,640 --> 00:12:32,920 they're being pilots when they're piloting. Sure like I get that but you 143 00:12:32,920 --> 00:12:38,440 still do it we still do it. It's it's we don't think about these things. That is 144 00:12:38,440 --> 00:12:45,440 something very tangible right? How many of you enjoy driving downtown? That's the 145 00:12:45,440 --> 00:12:49,000 right response. That is the right response. We'll work on the scuts right? 146 00:12:49,000 --> 00:12:53,240 No one likes to because they're worried about all these different things yet we 147 00:12:53,240 --> 00:12:58,400 still do it. Carrie and I are planning an anniversary just an overnight downtown 148 00:12:58,400 --> 00:13:03,480 sometime this summer and my mom came to me and I love her for this and my mom is 149 00:13:03,480 --> 00:13:07,800 one of my my prayer warriors and she goes I really don't like that you're 150 00:13:07,800 --> 00:13:15,000 going downtown and I am old enough to say mom too bad we're gonna go downtown 151 00:13:15,000 --> 00:13:18,560 right and then she grounded me I didn't know you can be grounded at 39 but she 152 00:13:18,560 --> 00:13:22,440 did you know but understand we still do it we still step into it almost without 153 00:13:22,440 --> 00:13:29,480 thinking yet there are times we will look at the providence of the creator of 154 00:13:29,480 --> 00:13:34,120 the world the one that said star there star there this is when the Sun comes up 155 00:13:34,120 --> 00:13:37,320 this is when the moon goes down this is when the tides are gonna go this is how 156 00:13:37,320 --> 00:13:42,200 a baby is born right from the first couple seconds all of these things and 157 00:13:42,200 --> 00:13:50,040 we're gonna go I just don't know if I can trust that plan yeah that silence 158 00:13:50,040 --> 00:13:57,560 seems right because we will put our faith in material worldly things yet we 159 00:13:57,560 --> 00:14:03,960 will remove it from heavenly spiritual things for whatever reason what we need 160 00:14:03,960 --> 00:14:10,760 to recognize and give thanks simply for every day is God's provision in your 161 00:14:10,760 --> 00:14:15,000 life how do I know somebody like you don't know that God's providing for me 162 00:14:15,000 --> 00:14:19,920 yeah I do how can I how can I know that because I'm looking out at all of you 163 00:14:19,920 --> 00:14:26,360 and you're all closed and I thank God for that we have a policy here much like 164 00:14:26,360 --> 00:14:29,880 Burger King no shirt no shoes no service now I could care less if you don't wear 165 00:14:29,880 --> 00:14:34,440 shoes for the person next to you might but you're all clothed when's the last 166 00:14:34,440 --> 00:14:38,640 time you thank God for clothing and I'm looking at myself I opened up my closet 167 00:14:38,640 --> 00:14:43,440 and I didn't go wow Lord you are great I know my wife doesn't like when I wear 168 00:14:43,440 --> 00:14:48,640 these but I don't care like when's the last time you thank God for that right I 169 00:14:48,640 --> 00:14:53,000 see our farmer I'm gonna go to the farm right when's the last time did you thank 170 00:14:53,000 --> 00:14:57,280 God to stop rain today or do you still want more rain we need to know who to 171 00:14:57,280 --> 00:15:01,560 blame you're finished with rain okay Jesse's done with rain the Smedberg 172 00:15:01,560 --> 00:15:04,720 weather gauge hopefully we don't have any more but I mean think about that we 173 00:15:04,720 --> 00:15:08,840 talked a little bit about it last week that in the Smedberg house they have to 174 00:15:08,840 --> 00:15:15,800 wait on weather for their job I've never thought about that I've thought about 175 00:15:15,800 --> 00:15:19,280 man it's raining I don't know if I need I don't know if I can make my don't don't 176 00:15:19,280 --> 00:15:23,560 hate on me Jesse my seven-minute drive to church because it's raining never 177 00:15:23,560 --> 00:15:28,760 thought that but understand that these things that we take for granted you have 178 00:15:28,760 --> 00:15:34,520 to we still have to give God praise for that and thanks for that those daily 179 00:15:34,520 --> 00:15:39,580 provisions in life we need to recognize and give thanks for that because when we 180 00:15:39,580 --> 00:15:45,560 don't what happens we start taking them for granted and I think that that is 181 00:15:45,560 --> 00:15:49,520 something that is being illuminated when the fool says there is no God they're 182 00:15:49,520 --> 00:15:54,200 not thankful for anything because it's all on them what if life was all based 183 00:15:54,200 --> 00:15:58,840 on you your choices all the things you bring to the table our lives would be 184 00:15:58,840 --> 00:16:05,400 terrible regardless of how good you are as a person but then we pick up on 185 00:16:05,400 --> 00:16:11,660 verses 4 through 6 still going on the fools for they have no lot no knowledge 186 00:16:11,660 --> 00:16:17,400 all our evil do all our evildoers who eat up my people as they eat bread and 187 00:16:17,400 --> 00:16:22,760 do not call upon the Lord there there they are in great terror going to verse 188 00:16:22,760 --> 00:16:28,640 6 for God is with the generations of the righteous you who shame the plans of the 189 00:16:28,640 --> 00:16:37,440 poor but the Lord is his refuge all you evildoers know nothing none of you 190 00:16:37,440 --> 00:16:42,840 regardless of your relationship with Jesus can say that today because you've 191 00:16:42,840 --> 00:16:47,040 understood as best we can the table of our Lord you have been preached to now 192 00:16:47,040 --> 00:16:51,560 about a truth in God's Word so all of none of you can say you have no 193 00:16:51,560 --> 00:16:57,480 knowledge I the question that gets me and a lot of the pastors that we would 194 00:16:57,480 --> 00:17:01,040 when we get together we talk about we'll always have someone that says well what 195 00:17:01,040 --> 00:17:06,120 about the Aborigines that's never had any social interaction or anybody come 196 00:17:06,120 --> 00:17:10,280 and bring them the gospel what about their lives does God save them tell me 197 00:17:10,280 --> 00:17:18,320 pastor Jim what happens when they die I don't know I'm not there and I'm not God 198 00:17:18,320 --> 00:17:22,800 I guarantee you someone's gonna still gonna ask me this by the end of the 199 00:17:22,800 --> 00:17:28,960 summer but understand that if God's bringing to mind those questions God's 200 00:17:28,960 --> 00:17:33,960 not wasting that in you why are you why are you thinking about that why is God 201 00:17:33,960 --> 00:17:38,040 putting that into your brain why is God putting that into your heart maybe it's 202 00:17:38,040 --> 00:17:43,880 to be a missionary maybe it's to get you out of the comfort zone and not worry so 203 00:17:43,880 --> 00:17:48,680 much about random aborigines in Timbuktu but maybe it's the neighbor 204 00:17:48,680 --> 00:17:54,720 across the street that you know doesn't know Jesus maybe that's what this 205 00:17:54,720 --> 00:17:59,440 understanding of hey let's not make people fools maybe that's what the Psalm 206 00:17:59,440 --> 00:18:09,680 is talking about the Hedibur cataclysm is a great kind of question and answer 207 00:18:09,680 --> 00:18:16,480 cataclysm that really helps us work through some of the things of faith and 208 00:18:16,480 --> 00:18:19,480 there are a lot of questions that focus on our comfort in life and in death we 209 00:18:19,480 --> 00:18:25,200 we talked about that already this morning that Lord's Day one but it's a 210 00:18:25,200 --> 00:18:30,480 reminder that God is not only faithful but he is a faithful father and redeemer 211 00:18:30,480 --> 00:18:37,480 of people that he is a faithful father a father that wants the best for his 212 00:18:37,480 --> 00:18:42,360 children a father that isn't always a tyrant you know a father that isn't the 213 00:18:42,360 --> 00:18:48,240 easygoing do whatever dad but he is a faithful father to provide for you to 214 00:18:48,240 --> 00:18:55,600 give you what you stand in need of that is a job of a father and what the 215 00:18:55,600 --> 00:18:59,360 hardware catechism especially in the beginning sections really help us center 216 00:18:59,360 --> 00:19:06,000 on is despite us being sinful human beings God's faithfulness shines through 217 00:19:06,000 --> 00:19:12,240 his redemptive work while we were still sinners Christ died for you and for me 218 00:19:12,240 --> 00:19:19,680 for us while we were still sinners that's important because it means we're 219 00:19:19,680 --> 00:19:23,960 never going to stop sinning friends we do not believe in a life of perfection 220 00:19:23,960 --> 00:19:30,280 on this side of the world on this side of eternity in glory yes what we see lit 221 00:19:30,280 --> 00:19:34,360 dimly in the mirror we will see face to face but we are striving towards that 222 00:19:34,360 --> 00:19:41,640 faithfulness striving Ford striving toward those things that pop out in our 223 00:19:41,640 --> 00:19:45,960 life that God is my refuge and my salvation he is the one that I call out 224 00:19:45,960 --> 00:19:56,440 to when hell on earth shows up it takes belief it takes faith to lean into God 225 00:19:56,440 --> 00:20:02,440 during those times doesn't it it holds no comfort when things are going wrong 226 00:20:02,440 --> 00:20:09,080 in life and Satan comes in and says see that's not real God clearly doesn't care 227 00:20:09,080 --> 00:20:12,000 about you because you're going through this suffering you're going through this 228 00:20:12,000 --> 00:20:15,320 trial you're going through this conflict you're going through insert 229 00:20:15,320 --> 00:20:20,600 whatever he's the one that's reminding you that God isn't in it yet God has 230 00:20:20,600 --> 00:20:23,800 said I am with you always to the very end of the day when you walk through 231 00:20:23,800 --> 00:20:27,920 the waters I'll be with you through the waves the fire the chaos of life I am 232 00:20:27,920 --> 00:20:36,640 there yet we forget about it one of the things that we need to do in our faith 233 00:20:36,640 --> 00:20:42,080 is not only thank God for the provisions of life but embrace the assurance of 234 00:20:42,080 --> 00:20:47,960 salvation through Jesus Christ in times of feeling overwhelmed by personal 235 00:20:47,960 --> 00:20:50,960 failures or the brokenness of the world we need to rest in the knowledge that 236 00:20:50,960 --> 00:20:58,520 God's faithfulness in redemption is unwavering though we waver like crazy our 237 00:20:58,520 --> 00:21:05,800 redemption through Christ is unwavering I was looking at potential examples of 238 00:21:05,800 --> 00:21:13,200 this and John Newton does anyone know who John Newton was yep yeah he wrote 239 00:21:13,200 --> 00:21:19,360 Amazing Grace the author of that Newton was once a slave trader living a life 240 00:21:19,360 --> 00:21:23,440 far from God however through a series of events including a terrifying storm at 241 00:21:23,440 --> 00:21:27,920 sea he began to reflect on his life and ultimately experienced a profound 242 00:21:27,920 --> 00:21:33,080 conversion to Christianity Newton's life transformed dramatically as he became a 243 00:21:33,080 --> 00:21:36,920 prominent advocate against the slave trade and a devoted minister of the 244 00:21:36,920 --> 00:21:43,480 gospel his story exemplifies the redemptive power of God's grace despite 245 00:21:43,480 --> 00:21:47,880 his sinful past God's faithfulness reached him offering redemption and a 246 00:21:47,880 --> 00:21:53,360 new purpose Joe casting the powerful truth that God can redeem and restore 247 00:21:53,360 --> 00:22:00,440 anyone who turns to him I don't know about you friends but that is powerful 248 00:22:00,440 --> 00:22:07,040 so let's jump to verse 7 that wraps it all up oh that salvation for Israel will 249 00:22:07,040 --> 00:22:12,800 come out of Zion when the Lord restores the fortunes of his people let Jacob 250 00:22:12,800 --> 00:22:21,800 resort rejoice let Israel be glad is the process friends this isn't something 251 00:22:21,800 --> 00:22:25,600 we're all gonna get every time that there are gonna be days that you feel 252 00:22:25,600 --> 00:22:29,240 like you've taken three steps back and no steps forward but then they're gonna 253 00:22:29,240 --> 00:22:32,120 be days that you feel like you take three steps forward and no steps back 254 00:22:32,120 --> 00:22:36,040 and we're feeling high we have the camp I the retreat I God's at work 255 00:22:36,040 --> 00:22:39,560 everything seems to be going right it's the reminder that when things don't go 256 00:22:39,560 --> 00:22:48,360 right God is still there we can still have that connection God never left if 257 00:22:48,360 --> 00:22:52,920 you read the canons of Dort the heading number five the section deals with the 258 00:22:52,920 --> 00:22:59,200 perseverance of the Saints that would be the P in tulip right or the H in 259 00:22:59,200 --> 00:23:04,000 faith as we talked about during lent held by God perseverance of the Saints 260 00:23:04,000 --> 00:23:10,960 which affirms that God preserves the chosen ones in faith that if you claim 261 00:23:10,960 --> 00:23:15,960 Christ as Lord and Savior God is preserving your life though you may pass 262 00:23:15,960 --> 00:23:21,480 away in this life he is preserving you he is keeping you together even when you 263 00:23:21,480 --> 00:23:28,120 feel like you're falling apart the truth of that word is that God's 264 00:23:28,120 --> 00:23:34,520 faithfulness extends to preserving his people even when we falter God ensures 265 00:23:34,520 --> 00:23:43,960 that those he has called were persevere to the end nobody knew that Friday night 266 00:23:43,960 --> 00:23:49,160 around 11 o'clock Jim Wiltshire was going to meet his Savior from what Jim 267 00:23:49,160 --> 00:23:53,400 Jr. told me they had put him to bed they went back about an hour later and they 268 00:23:53,400 --> 00:24:02,640 they found him gone he is he was in glory that I bet if we could have asked 269 00:24:02,640 --> 00:24:08,840 him that Jim Wiltshire senior would have been praising the name of his Savior up 270 00:24:08,840 --> 00:24:15,720 to that last point and I guess that's the challenge for all of us today none 271 00:24:15,720 --> 00:24:20,280 of you know even if you've gotten some kind of diagnosis where the doctor has 272 00:24:20,280 --> 00:24:23,640 to give you a timeline which I know they're kind of backing away from doing 273 00:24:23,640 --> 00:24:28,440 a lot with the advancements and cancer treatments and all that stuff but none 274 00:24:28,440 --> 00:24:32,400 of us know friend it could be tomorrow friend it could be at three o'clock 275 00:24:32,400 --> 00:24:39,400 today none of us know and I don't say that to scare you but how you standing 276 00:24:39,400 --> 00:24:44,160 knowing that God is providing for you his provision over your life is there 277 00:24:44,160 --> 00:24:49,800 his redemptive work is going on through you and he is persevering you to the 278 00:24:49,800 --> 00:24:58,040 very very end for when we know that oh and this is big when we understand that 279 00:24:58,040 --> 00:25:02,480 God is persevering me it's not me persevering God God needs no 280 00:25:02,480 --> 00:25:07,440 preservation I do because I falter because I fall because I get knocked 281 00:25:07,440 --> 00:25:17,200 down God's the one preserving me it really should give us perspective in 282 00:25:17,200 --> 00:25:26,920 life that the anger we feel isn't the biggest thing in our world the hurt that 283 00:25:26,920 --> 00:25:30,120 we're feeling I don't want to minimize hurts because we all get hurt and we all 284 00:25:30,120 --> 00:25:36,560 do hurting but if God is persevering us if it's God preserving you if his salt 285 00:25:36,560 --> 00:25:44,200 is preserving your life can one person take that away no can two people take 286 00:25:44,200 --> 00:25:48,400 that away sometimes I hate to say can a church even take that away and I know 287 00:25:48,400 --> 00:25:51,840 for some of you've been hurt by the church but the church does not 288 00:25:51,840 --> 00:25:59,680 substitute God's provision in your life it can't it won't but it gives us 289 00:25:59,680 --> 00:26:06,760 perspective it causes us to step back to count to ten to look at what God is 290 00:26:06,760 --> 00:26:15,520 doing in a situation now a lot of us are like me and we like to react right we 291 00:26:15,520 --> 00:26:20,160 like to shoot from the hip we like to react 17 years 17 and a half years in 292 00:26:20,160 --> 00:26:24,640 the ministry I've learned I can't do that because it rarely goes well because 293 00:26:24,640 --> 00:26:29,440 I'm an idiot and a lot of times when I do this idiot comes out not pastor and 294 00:26:29,440 --> 00:26:34,640 so understand that what God is preserving in me in this season is to 295 00:26:34,640 --> 00:26:39,160 sit back is to try to understand try to reflect try to bring together what I 296 00:26:39,160 --> 00:26:45,680 think God is doing I'm gonna ask that you join me in that let's talk about 297 00:26:45,680 --> 00:26:53,120 corporately for just two minutes what is God calling Munster Church to be friend 298 00:26:53,120 --> 00:26:56,760 we've not made it there's no making it as a church so if you have that 299 00:26:56,760 --> 00:27:02,720 understanding take it out flush it it's done what is God calling Munster Church 300 00:27:02,720 --> 00:27:08,420 to be here at 214 Ridge Road what is he called it to be when it was over there a 301 00:27:08,420 --> 00:27:12,400 hundred and fifty almost 54 years ago when they moved it when it burned down 302 00:27:12,400 --> 00:27:19,320 all of those pastors over there what has been the call well that's easy to love 303 00:27:19,320 --> 00:27:27,400 God and love people great that's what Jesus called all of us to be that's what 304 00:27:27,400 --> 00:27:32,320 Jesus called all of us to do in Matthew 28 but what does it mean for this space 305 00:27:32,320 --> 00:27:38,720 what does it mean for this place and it's not that Jim does all the work 306 00:27:38,720 --> 00:27:43,240 believe me it's not and it's not that to the elders and the deacons do all the 307 00:27:43,240 --> 00:27:49,920 work though they do a lot it's that all of us are getting to work so what are 308 00:27:49,920 --> 00:27:53,440 you passionate about what is God preserving in your life when you think 309 00:27:53,440 --> 00:28:00,040 of the church what comes to mind take note of that because for some of you 310 00:28:00,040 --> 00:28:06,480 it's all the things that we do wrong it's all the things that I don't like 311 00:28:06,480 --> 00:28:13,280 it's all the let me just put this out there right I may get fired tomorrow 312 00:28:13,280 --> 00:28:17,600 but I'm gonna put it out there the church is not here to meet all of your 313 00:28:17,600 --> 00:28:23,560 needs it's not the church is here to provide the mission of the gospel for a 314 00:28:23,560 --> 00:28:27,760 world that desperately needs it and guess what he's called all of us to get 315 00:28:27,760 --> 00:28:36,520 involved he's called all of us to say hey go and make disciples so what is God 316 00:28:36,520 --> 00:28:41,040 calling you what is God gifting you in no another shameful plug until all of 317 00:28:41,040 --> 00:28:44,640 you take it I'm going to plug it right the spiritual gifts inventory it's not 318 00:28:44,640 --> 00:28:48,840 gospel truth but it's a helpful tool to have those conversations and Mike has 319 00:28:48,840 --> 00:28:52,360 done a great job where you can start interpreting it yourself I'd still love 320 00:28:52,360 --> 00:28:55,680 to meet with you okay done with that but it will come back next week unless we 321 00:28:55,680 --> 00:29:03,960 get 300 of them this week but what is he asking of you what is he looking at you 322 00:29:03,960 --> 00:29:08,640 and saying hey this is where we need to work on your faith but this is where we 323 00:29:08,640 --> 00:29:13,320 need to take your faith out into the streets this is where Munster Church 324 00:29:13,320 --> 00:29:19,520 needs your gift this is where you need to go and help this or that because if 325 00:29:19,520 --> 00:29:23,200 you're if you're just sitting here sitting on the sidelines it's going I've 326 00:29:23,200 --> 00:29:29,800 been in this church all my life let the new kids do it that is counterintuitive 327 00:29:29,800 --> 00:29:34,000 to what the Bible says the old men see dream dreams the young men see visions a 328 00:29:34,000 --> 00:29:42,480 church of acts every generation was moving forward even the babies so what 329 00:29:42,480 --> 00:29:47,520 is God asking for you and what is God asking of you this summer friend don't 330 00:29:47,520 --> 00:29:52,080 waste the summer the summer with these Psalms are going to be a tremendous time 331 00:29:52,080 --> 00:29:57,800 for us to not only dive into God's Word these specific Psalms we're gonna hear 332 00:29:57,800 --> 00:30:02,000 from some other preachers and that's gonna be exciting too some new ones I've 333 00:30:02,000 --> 00:30:08,520 never preached here before and that's exciting what is God asking of you God's 334 00:30:08,520 --> 00:30:13,160 gonna change the life of six people next week when we cast lots we don't know who 335 00:30:13,160 --> 00:30:22,960 it is we love the Holy Spirit does that's six out of 350 so that's six if my 336 00:30:22,960 --> 00:30:34,960 math is correct that leaves oh my 346 of you no well I added two there would be 337 00:30:34,960 --> 00:30:39,640 two new ones calm down I knew that was bad from the beginning I should not 338 00:30:39,640 --> 00:30:45,400 publicly do math not have the call of the Deacon that's for sure at least the 339 00:30:45,400 --> 00:30:51,460 treasure Jesse amen amen to that yeah you know you would understand what is 340 00:30:51,460 --> 00:30:57,840 God calling you to do never once does it say God's calling you to be on the 341 00:30:57,840 --> 00:31:03,960 sideline what does it mean for you to get in the game and let's dive in and 342 00:31:03,960 --> 00:31:09,480 not only God's words but our confessions to help lead us to whatever that is 343 00:31:09,480 --> 00:31:13,320 a new thing I'm gonna do for this summer of Psalms because that kind of comes out 344 00:31:13,320 --> 00:31:16,120 it did at least this week as I was writing I'm gonna ask that you please 345 00:31:16,120 --> 00:31:21,280 stand I'm gonna ask that we pray this closing prayer together it'll be on the 346 00:31:21,280 --> 00:31:29,240 screens three two one Heavenly Father we thank you for your unwavering 347 00:31:29,240 --> 00:31:35,360 faithfulness help us to trust in your providence rest in your redemption and 348 00:31:35,360 --> 00:31:41,840 find confidence in your preserving grace strengthen our faith and guide us into 349 00:31:41,840 --> 00:32:06,400 living lives that reflect your glory in Jesus name we pray amen and may the