Sermon(Ps 25): Wait for God

The original Korean text: https://blog.naver.com/stevision/50025252847

 

 

 

>> ... 2 O my God, in thee I trust, let me not be put to shame; let not my enemies exult over me. 3 Yea, let none that wait for thee be put to shame; let them be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous. .... 11 For thy name’s sake, O Lord, pardon my guilt, for it is great. 12 Who is the man that fears the Lord? Him will he instruct in the way that he should choose. 13 He himself shall abide in prosperity, and his children shall possess the land. .... 16 Turn thou to me, and be gracious to me; for I am lonely and afflicted. ... 18 Consider my affliction and my trouble, and forgive all my sins. 19 Consider how many are my foes, and with what violent hatred they hate me. .... 22 Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles. (Ps 25) <<

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Some people can expect help only from heaven. Their parents, brothers, sisters, relatives and friends can not help or refuse to help them. on the contrary, there are many people around who intend to hurt me. Many people plot to take advantage of me when I have nothing, no money, but want for many things. I have something to complain of, but there is no one to listen to me. Isn't it the situation of loneliness and affliction (v. 16)? Perhaps in that situation, you may curse your life or curse others or complain to God about your misfortune. 'Was I born to suffer like this?' Do you feel angry and frustrated that the rain of grace does not fall down though you always look to heaven for help?

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My brethren, first pray to God for the forgiveness of sins. "Remember not the sins of my youth, or my transgressions; according to thy steadfast love remember me, for thy goodness' sake, O Lord! (v. 7)" When I admit that I am a sinner, I can realize that I do not deserve to live healthily and happily. When you think so, grudge and resentment will leave you, and you'll look only to the mercy of God the Creator. In fact, all your misfortune is the result of your sins. Am I wrong? Even if you have lived a righteous life in your and others' opinion, usually the misfortunes you face are the result of your incompetence. If your mind is feeble, you'll indulge in debauchery and lose money and health. If you were deceived by a swindler, you can't deny that you lacked wisdom and prudence but had much desire to make money easily. The Bible says that no one is completely clean on the outside and inside. It says that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Rom 3:23). Therefore, if you live lonely and painfully, it is imperative that you humbly admit your sins and faults and be forgiven, rather than blame others or curse your own life. Prayer of forgiveness is the key to solving the problem. David had an unbearable family misfortune. His son Absalom rebelled and David fled from him. David's soldiers fought the rebels and subdued them, and Absalom died. David complained neither to man nor to God then. "O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son! (2 Sam 18:33)" David knew that the misfortune of his house was the wages of his sin, that is, the murder of Uriah his subordinate. So he couldn't lay the blame for the misery of his house upon others. He didn't question, "Why should this misfortune come upon me?", but thought, 'I deserve it!' My brethren, do not utter harsh words when you are extremely lonely and painful, rather press them down, and utter a beautiful prayer of repentance and supplication for help. To whom are you uttering such rough words? Harsh words never help you. If you suffer such harsh misfortune when you are really a righteous man, your suffering will not hurt you but work for you; because God is good and upright (v. 8). God created this world, therefore, he will take the responsibility for the suffering of the righteous and compensate them double for their suffering if they suffered too much in the world compared with their faults.

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If you get sick, you should not grumble at heaven (at God). Because you have lived on living creatures so far. A lot of grain and livestock had to die to maintain your life. There was the suffering of death of other creatures for your happy life before you get sick and die. So to whom can you complain when you have to face the illness or the death? You have enjoyed your life at the expense of other creatures, therefore you must not complain about your illness or death. In particular, sickness results from your weakness, so you can earnestly pray God to heal your illness, but must not feel bitter at God.

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Suffering is usually due to our sins or our weakness. If it is due to our sins, we can confess our sins and pray to God for forgiveness. And God will gladly forgive us and restore our blessings. Who admits his own sins? A meek man acknowledges his sins. A meek man has a pure and humble heart. He can admit his incompetence and seek for God's help because he is humble. And God forgives meek people and helps them. "He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way. (v. 9)" He leads the meek in a righteous way. Some crafty people go their way, hurting others; but God leads his people righteously, keeping justice. Therefore God's help has no side effects. All the problems of suffering due to our inability are solved by God's righteous guidance. If we ask God help, the righteous God removes all who are unjustly persecuting us, and gives us talents we need, because it is not righteous for God the Creator to ignore creatures' cry for help. My brethren, seek for God's help whenever you need strength and wisdom. The righteous God will surely supply the lack of you. How many times did God say in the Bible, "Call to me for help"?

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There are paths of God that we do not know yet. "Make me to know thy ways, O Lord; teach me thy paths. (v. 4)" "All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies. (v. 10)" Some ways of God are ways that were not but have been built newly. Even the Red Sea parted to make a way. This is the way of God. The way of God is not a broad way in which many people go, but a narrow way in which a few men go. In the days of the Exodus, it would take Israel about a week to get Canaan if they used the Royal Road. But God led Israel in the path of wilderness for about 40 years. But it was a path where Israel's unbelief and disbelief were completely removed. It was a path where all sanguinity (all hot disposition) of the people was removed. So Israelites became a true people of God when they arrived in Canaan. It was the path of trusting in God's promise and his faithfulness. Jesus Christ our Savior told us not to take a wide and easy way (gate) but to take a narrow way (gate) (Mt 7:13). When we are so lonely and painful that we pray God to open the path of our life, God gives us the road of the Exodus. If we have true faith, the road is not a lonely place. Because God goes with us on the road. He leads us with a pillar of cloud by day and with a pillar of fire by night. It may be a little hard way, but not a painful way. Maybe we at first have to make some efforts to kill our corrupt selves and to form the holy image of God in us, but we can do it if we have faith.

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The problem is that we reject the way of God foolishly, using our poor wisdom, when God has prepared the way of victory and success for us. Therefore, "All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies. (v. 10)" The help of God bears fruits in those who fully believe and follow God. God clearly promised to help those who pray to him, and to grant success and victory to those who follow his direction. Help of God descends from heaven to those who believe and follow that promise. My foes exert themselves to hate and kill me, but God much stronger than them has mercy on me and helps me get out of the trap and delivers me from the pit.

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You don't want to be put to shame, do you? Wait for God and take refuge in him. "Let none that wait for thee be put to shame. (v. 3)" "Let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in thee. (v. 20)" My brethren, pray to God every morning when you go to work, like this: "My God, help me today. Let me not be put to shame!" God will give you success and victory, and you'll be praised and honored rather than be despised by others. on the other hand, a man who is haughty and likes to sin will always be put to shame. "Let them be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous. (v. 3)" My brethren, when you are in trouble, do not seek for other helpers and flatter them to get assistance from them, but seek refuge in God. Hide in the shadow of his wings. The Devil will gloat at you, but God will feel sorry for you, if you try to solve your difficult problems by flattering those who like to sin and by bribing them with money. The Devil digs 'a pit of hard situation' for a Christian and expects him to sin. But the more we must run to God in such a situation. "My God, help me!" "Of course I will help you. But why didn't you come earlier?" My brethren, you'll never be put to shame if you come to God whenever you're in trouble.

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He who waits for God sets his hope in him. He who casts the anchor of hope into God is a man who waits for God, and who will never be put to shame but will achieve great victory and success and gain great honor and praise from many people. He whose hope is in God has amazing peace in the soul and passes his posterity the blessings he has received. "He himself shall abide in prosperity, and his children shall possess the land. (v. 13)" No matter how heavy a typhoon may be, a ship anchored in a safe place never breaks. The God is the safest place. Anyone who has hope in him will never have his life wrecked. Therefore he who has hope in God has absolute peace. If a man lonely and painful sets his hope in God, he will enjoy the peace the world can never break. Jesus is the King of peace. He rebuked the storm in the sea, and the sea became still. Jesus the King of peace is your Lord. If you are in him, all your severe problems become his, and they are not difficult problems for him at all. You've confessed your sins to him and been forgiven sins and gained eternal life. And now you can commit your difficult problems to him and obtain victory and success without being put to shame. Is he who gave you eternal life not able to solve your problems? It is your trust in him that matters. How can God help him who does not trust in him?

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May your hope anchor in God. May you wait for God and be praised and honored by many people without suffering any shame.

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Chong Tack Kim

                                      - Dongtoma Sunshine Church -

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