Sermon(Ps 26): Save my life

The original Korean text: https://blog.naver.com/stevision/50025252953

 

 

 

Scripture reading: Ps 20

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>> 1 Vindicate me, O Lord, for I have walked in my integrity, and I have trusted in the Lord without wavering. 2 Prove me, O Lord, and try me; test my heart and my mind. .... 5 I hate the company of evildoers, and I will not sit with the wicked. 6 I wash my hands in innocence, and go about thy altar, O Lord, 7 singing aloud a song of thanksgiving, and telling all thy wondrous deeds. 8 O Lord, I love the habitation of thy house, and the place where thy glory dwells. 9 Sweep me not away with sinners, nor my life with bloodthirsty men, ... 11 But as for me, I walk in my integrity; redeem me, and be gracious to me. 12 My foot stands on level ground; in the great congregation I will bless the Lord. <<

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When king Hezekiah was ill, Isaiah the prophet of God came to him and said, "You have an incurable disease, so prepare for death." Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall, and uttered the same prayer as today's text to the Lord, saying, "Remember now, O Lord, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in faithfulness and with a whole heart, and have done what is good in thy sight. (2 Kings 20:3)" And he wept bitterly. And the word of the Lord came to Isaiah: "Turn back, and say to Hezekiah the prince of my people, Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father; I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; behold, I will heal you; on the third day you shall go up to the house of the Lord. And I will add fifteen years to your life. (2 Kings 20:5-6)"

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Life can lead to an unwanted illnesses. Is there any other unwanted guest like that in the world? There may be no joy of life especially for those who suffer from chronic diseases or incurable diseases. Disease deprives us of hope for the future. If a disease takes away hope, today's hard work is meaningless, joy disappears, and everything is annoying. Especially you will really be sad and unpleasant if an unwanted guest of disease visits you although you have lived an sincere life and achieved something good so far and can expect some good fruits now. Can you thank God easily in such a situation?

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Today in Psalm 26, David speaks to God. “Sweep me not away with sinners, nor my life with bloodthirsty men, (v. 9)” In David's view, sinners and murderers can not appeal to God if any disease, pain, or death come upon them at any time. But David could appeal to the God against the situation that the righteous, including himself, were treated the same as the sinners of the world, so that they also collapsed hopelessly before sickness and death. David did not grumble against God in such a situation, but he was able to say anything to God for he (God) was a personal one. on what bases did David tell God his petition?

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David presents his clean life to God. “I have walked in my integrity, and I have trusted in the Lord without wavering. (v. 1)” “I walk in faithfulness to thee. (v 3)” “I wash my hands in innocence. (v. 6)” Of course, this kind of prayer can be done only by those who have tried to live according to God's will conscientiously with all their strength. Some villains die early, but sometimes some other villains live a healthy and long life. If such a life is a part of God's grace, it is not too bold a claim that those who avoided evildoers' society, did not imitate their deeds, but endeavored to do God's will can pray to God for the grace of life and health. David requested God to see what man he was. “Vindicate me, O Lord. (v. 1)” By this verse, David told God to see if there were good aspects in him, and to assess his (David's) value. Is there, says David, any reason why God should treat him who has lived much better life than evildoers as severely as he (God) treated them? My brethren, your trifling good deeds can be a fragrant offering to God. Your flawless life makes God pleased. Your holy life will make you a child of God and make him see you with loving eyes. Especially, you should be careful not to hang out with evildoers. When God strikes all of the wicked men with the thunderbolt, he may not make the thunderbolt deflect particularly from you who are among the wicked just because you are a good man. It is also important not to be friends with villains if you want to be really clean. Why should you join the group of people whom God dislikes intensely? We must do what God pleases. Will the God, the origin of wisdom, let the sound of his praises diminish by treating you who make him happy as harshly as he treated the evildoers, and by making you sad? Will he not rather specially protect and save you to receive thanks and praises from you even when all the other wicked fall down?

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David says he loves God. “O Lord, I love the habitation of thy house, and the place where thy glory dwells. (v. 8)” David lived as a perfect man when he kept God's commandments by loving him. David confesses he loves also the visible place where God dwells, because he loves the invisible God. David loved the temple of God. David can expect God's love for he has shown him as much love as a man can. Of course, the sickness and the death of believers are qualitatively different from those of evildoers, however, those who love God are entitled to ask God for what he can give them. It is unloving and unethical for a son not to ask his father for help when he is suffering from a lack of funds in business for a while and is living in sorrow and worry alone although his father, a billionaire, is still alive and well. Because such an act is branding of his father as an unsurpassed miser. “What kind of person do you think I am that you should not ask me for help?” Brethren, it's rude not to ask someone you love for help. Brethren, if you do not ask God for help when you are in trouble, he will be greatly disappointed in you. Christians also happen to experience the same illness and misfortune as others since they (Christians) are weak and the world is wicked. If we do not seek help from our heavenly Father who loves us dearly when such misfortunes befall us, we are of little faith, nor are we behaving aright as children of God. The Scripture encourages us to press the God persistently to answer our supplications. That is the right attitude as children. Our importuning the Father means that we have confidence in the love of the Father, which faith pleases him. The world is wicked, and we believers are weak, so all the trials the people of the world suffer come upon us, too. But we have the means to overcome them: if you truly love God, you can ask him for help. Call to God when your wealth, health, life and business are faced with crises! The Bible tells us to call to him boldly.

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David prays to God, “Redeem me, and be gracious to me. (v. 11)" This means that David wants God to have mercy on him and to save him. David is showing humility before God here. >Be gracious to me< means that David is guilty even though he has strived to live uprightly, and that thus God must redeem him, paying the price of his sin. Seeing the justice of God, David understands that he needs a redeemer. Praying for compassion is the last prayer that we humans can say to God. If this prayer is accepted, we live, and if rejected, we die like the wicked. Our sin and wickedness are no less grave than those of the wicked. Our righteousness is no better than their righteousness. Ours and theirs are almost the same. But God can never decline our prayer, "Have mercy on us and save us," which is given God in tears with loving heart. Even Ahab, an evil king, moved God with a few drops of tears. Still less can God reject the prayer of a man of tears who loved him and exerted himself to live righteously!

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The problem is that no one can shed tears at any time. Sometimes, although there is no physical tears in the eyes, you may burst into tears only in your heart. Really strange! Judas Iscariot ended his life without shedding tears by committing suicide, but Peter, though having sinned, shed tears and lived a successful life as Jesus’ apostle. It seems that it is the work of the Holy Spirit that a man tears and that God gives the opportunity to weep to the man on whom he wants to show mercy. Tears are an ｅxpression of a humble heart, of a desire for mercy and compassion, and of an undeserved hope for the blessing of recovery. So God hears the prayer of him who prays with tears. Therefore, when you are in adversity, your tearful prayer is a sign that God is listening to your prayers and that your recovery is not far off.

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As for all the sickness and pain that comes upon those who believe in God, the Bible says that God has already paid all the price of the sins of the believers by making his only begotten Son suffer for them. “Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that made us whole, and with his stripes we are healed. (Is 53:4-5)” But the Bible says that this Savior is very merciful. “A bruised reed he will not break, and a dimly burning wick he will not quench. (Is 42:3)” When the brokenhearted people repent of their sins and seek mercy from God because of their own weakness, he forgives their sins with unlimited mercy and makes the flames of their life flare up again. The horrible disease goes away from me and the fresh vitality wraps me. All the unclean spirits withdraw from me and the Holy Spirit lives in me. Fear and dread are far from me; peace and hope shine upon me like bright sunlight. Grudge and complaint leave my heart; thanksgiving and praise flow from my heart. The God of David healed Hezekiah's sickness and extended his life. All of those who earnestly pray to God in the faith of David and Hezekiah receive the help of God of mercy. The God of David is the one who forgives, heals, and restores. Everyone who is firmly convinced of God's goodness and mercy and does not waver can receive the help of God.

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Sometimes God allows the beloved ones to have thorns in the flesh. When the apostle Paul prayed to God because of his sickness, God didn't answer his prayer so as to make Paul humble and to make God's power perfect through Paul's weakness. Calvin, the father of presbyterian Church, also had various diseases. The servant of God suffers from such diseases because he is bearing the sins of the sheep of the Lord. For example, if a servant of God has a spiritual power to heal diseases, he is greatly honored by the believers, therefore, in return for that, God allows him to suffer hardships for their sins. There is no free glory! Such is the suffering of the righteous. God permits a righteous man to bear the sins of others, and gives him many physical sufferings, but instead he answers his prayers for them so that he (the righteous man) receives glory from them. Therefore, God responds, with 100 % of certainty, to the prayers of those who, giving thanks to God in suffering, pray for others. We love and revere the Savior Jesus Christ because he himself suffered in body and soul for our health and happiness. only he who resembles Jesus is able not to complain to God of the sufferings coming without reason, and can thank God unconditionally and pray for the sake of the church and the neighbors. Such a man can be said to have attained to the zenith of holiness. Therefore, Christians may suffer pain without sins, but never suffer pain useless and meaningless. The suffering and pain of a righteous man is not in the dimension of retribution but in the dimension of humility, love and sacrifice (and glory).

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Therefore, if you have escaped from suffering and adversity and now are enjoying great blessings, you must thank God and your pastor. And you should also thank your neighbors who love you. Because you are often forgiven and blessed thanks to those who bear your sins. Whenever you have difficulties, do not hide them, tell the pastor and others of devout faith what is going on, and ask for a intercessory prayer. Because the intercession of the righteous is very powerful.

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May God accept your love and devotion, forgive your transgressions, make you healthy in body and spirit, save your life. Amen!

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Chong Tack Kim

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                                 - Dongtoma Sunshine Church -

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