Never Forsaken

NEVER FORSAKEN

SCRIPTURE: Psalm 37:25 “I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the

righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.”

INTRODUCTION:

This psalm was composed when David was an old man (Psalm 37:25); and apart, therefore, from the fact that it is the work of an inspired writer, it has special value as expressing the result of the observations of a long life on a point which perplexes the good in every age. Barnes

I. THE STAGES OF LIFE

Each stage of life has its burdens and its benefits. W. W. W.

A. “I Have Been Young”

1. There is a sad kind of feeling which a man has when he is constrained to say, “I HAVE BEEN young;” for it suggests the memory of joys, and hopes, and friends, that are now gone forever. Barnes

a. The innocence of youth is gone. I am no longer free from knowledge of sin.

b. The strength of youth is gone. I am no longer free from aches and pains.

c. The carefree living of youth is gone. I am no longer free from responsibility.

2. In Remembering

a. Often there is joy. Cherish it.

b. Sometimes there is anguish. Forget it.

Philippians 3:13 “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,”

B. “Now I Am Old”

1. A child is free to play, and he has no burdens to carry, yet he is immature and really doesn’t know what life is all about. W. W. W. pg 21

I Corinthians 13:11 “When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.”

a. Now I know. b. Now I am responsible. c. Now I am accountable.

2. Getting older is a part of life.

a. You and I may want to stop getting older, but there is really nothing we can

do about. W. W. W.

b. Life moves on, one day at a time, and we find ourselves getting older. W.W.W.

When I was young, time seemed to crawl. Now it seems to fly.

3. The “outward man” is perishing

a. The body gets one day older, but the spirit becomes more like Christ--and we move one day closer to glory. W. W. W.

II Corinthians 4:16 “For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.”

b. The next remove is to another world, and that now MUST be near; and it is a solemn thing to stand on the shores of eternity; to look out on that boundless ocean, to feel that earth, and all that is dear on earth, is soon to be left “forever.” Barnes

c. I hope we are growing in the Lord as we grow older.

II. THE EXPERIENCES OF LIFE

A. Obstacles and Opportunities

1. David

a. Killed Lions and Bears

I Samuel 17:33 “And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth. 17:34 And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father’s sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock: 17:35 And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him.”

b. Killed Goliath the Giant

I Samuel 17:37 “David said moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the LORD be with thee.”

Can you say that with me? He will deliver me!!!!!!!!

2. Myself / Yourself

a. You and I Have Killed Bears and Lions

b. You and I Have Killed Some Giants

B. Failures

1. David

a. David and his women. --> Bathsheba, Uriah’s wife.

b. David and his children. --> Tamar, Amnon, and Absalom

2. Myself / Yourself

Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”

3. When David failed and repented of his failures, II Samuel 12

a. God rebuked him.

v. 1 “And the LORD sent Nathan unto David.”

v. 7 “And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man.”

b. God chastised him.

v. 10 “Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house;”

v. 11 “Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbor, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun.