A New And Better Sacrifice

A New and Better Sacrifice

Psalm 40:1-8

Good morning,

Please open your Bibles to two places, first turn to Luke 16 and then turn to Psalm 40 as we continue surveying that book.

“Business Insider” had an article about things that are now obsolete, but I don’t know if I agree with their entire list.

They listed, floppy disks, phone booths, dial-up internet, landline phones, phonebooks, film cameras, VCRs, standalone GPS devices, paper maps, and newspaper classifieds.

If I asked a teenager today to help me with a floppy disc, they would think I was talking about my sore back. Not many people hang onto obsolete things unless they are a collector or a hoarder

The LORD allowed the OT Temple to be torn down, to teach us about a new and better way to access His presence and holiness.

How can we personally know that we have a perfect standing before God in order to access His presence and holiness?

In Christ, we are sanctified and have a perfect standing with God, confirmed by the Holy Spirit and the Word of God.

The Temple is gone because sacrifice and offerings could not take away the guilt of our sin and satisfy God's judgment.

I. Wait on the LORD.

Read Psalm 40:1

There is a dual fulfillment, as well as personal application, in Psalm 40. This is considered a Messianic Psalm because it is quoted in the New Testament about Jesus, making it important.

I would describe the world we live in as a microwave society. We even hear some businesses promise in their advertising that they can cut the wait time for something by using their products.

I struggle with patience and waiting, especially when I know the wait time could have been avoided if someone had been paying attention and had done what they were supposed to do.

But when we think about the LORD, we are told that He is very patient. Why? Because waiting involves time, and the LORD Created time so, He is not limited by time.

When we are waiting on the LORD to act, we must remember, in His economy, He has already seen the thing come to pass.

2 Peter 3:8 beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day. NKJV

See, “I waited patiently for the LORD, and He inclined to me.”

We read many passages where David was waiting on the LORD for deliverance, especially in the Book of Psalms.

But here, in Psalm 40:1, David follows the statement about waiting with the words, “He inclined to me, and heard my cry.”

For David waiting on the LORD showed trust in the LORD and His promises. When the LORD promises to keep us, provide for us, or meet our needs, waiting for Him says we believe Him.

When we get ahead of the LORD and His timing, we can get ourselves in a real mess, just ask Abraham and Sarah.

Notice, “He inclined to me, and heard my cry”

Guzik said, “The word inclined has the sense of God bending down to David in his affliction and removing any perceived distance between the LORD and His servant.”

“He inclined to me”, is like a father down on a knee to meet his child face to face, hearing their cry, and showing he is near.

As far as the Messianic fulfillment is concerned, Jesus was patient as He suffered the beatings and the crucifixion, dying as the sinless Lamb of God.

Jesus was never impatient; not while He was in agony in Gethsemane, while on the Cross, or during the six false trials.

Heard my cry: God the Father heard Jesus’ cry from the Cross.

Luke 23:46 And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, "Father, 'into Your hands I commit My spirit.'" Having said this, He breathed His last. NKJV

II. The LORD delivers His children.

Read Psalm 40:2-3

Do you remember the commercial from the 80’s and 90’s that said, “Help, I’ve fallen and can’t get up!”, which was a catchphrase from the life-alert commercials?

How about you, have you ever thought, “I’ve fallen, and I’ve sunk so low, I’m stuck?” Have you ever felt like you were in a pit and couldn’t see a way out?

David likens his present crisis to the miry clay in the pit, where the LORD picked him up and set his feet on solid ground.

The solid ground or rock here represents a secure foundation.

Jesus said in Matthew 7:24 "Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: NKJV

See, “He has put a new song in my mouth, praise to our God”