Encouragement for the Pursued
Prairie Baptist Church – 9/6/09
P.M. Service
Text: Psalm 3
Key verse: Psalms 3:5-6 - 5I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the Lord sustained me. 6I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around.
Premise: God teaches us a valuable lesson that keeps our spirits going when we become discouraged from the pressures and persecutions of our Christian faith.
The Introduction
Two men were walking through a field one day when they spotted an enraged bull. Instantly they darted toward the nearest fence. The storming bull followed in hot pursuit, and it was soon apparent they wouldn’t make it. Terrified, the one shouted to the other, "Put up a prayer, John. We’re in for it!" John answered, "I can’t. I’ve never made a public prayer in my life." "But you must!" implored his companion. "The bull is catching up to us." "All right," panted John, "I’ll say the only prayer I know, the one my father used to repeat at the table: ’O Lord, for what we are about to receive, make us truly thankful.’"
Sometimes we feel like that in our Christian life. When we are living our faith and people pursue us and persecute us for what we believe and how we live.
Hopefully, we stop and pray.
The fact is that, much like David, the opposition can become overwhelming.
It can come from places we didn’t expect.
It is like the patient who had this dialogue with his doctor:
Doctor to patient: “I have bad news and worse news.”
Patient: “So let’s have it.”
Doctor: “The bad news is that you only have 24 hours to live.”
Patient: “I can’t imagine what could be worse than that!”
Doctor: “I forgot to tell you yesterday.”
Before we begin, we need to understand something about the enemy or enemies:
For lack of anything better up front, we have three enemies that attack us constantly:
• The world – this is not only a world system and God voided philosophy but it is a godless, flesh and blood mankind bent on living without God and rejecting God’s authority.
• The flesh – That is not only this body, flesh, blood, and bone, but also our emotions and desires driven by a still very possessive and powerful sin nature.
• The devil – We know who he is and that he is a very powerful, deceptive and influential being who wreaks havoc and leaves behind him destroyed lives and unfulfilled promises.
The opposite is what we as Christians are wanting:
• Instead of the world – we want the influence of the Word, the heavenly proclamation of God’s love
• Instead of the flesh – we yearn for the spiritual and the Spirit led
• Instead of the devil – we want to only hear Jesus; we want to hear the voice of God.
1. A Problem That Persists – 3:1-2
2. A Protection That Is Personal – 3:3-4
3. A Peace That Pacifies – 3:5-6
4. A Petition That Is Positive – 3:7-8
What can we learn from David’s experience that will keep our spirits going when we become discouraged from the pressures and persecutions of our Christian faith.
Body
1. The Enemies Tactics That Trouble – 3:1-2
A. David expresses his trouble to God:
i. David is pursued by his son, Absalom, who has deceived the people into following him
Absalom did this through flattery and promises – 2nd Sam. 15:1-6 - 1After this it happened that Absalom provided himself with chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him. 2Now Absalom would rise early and stand beside the way to the gate. So it was, whenever anyone who had a lawsuit came to the king for a decision, that Absalom would call to him and say, “What city are you from?” And he would say, “Your servant is from such and such a tribe of Israel.” 3Then Absalom would say to him, “Look, your case is good and right; but there is no deputy of the king to hear you.” 4Moreover Absalom would say, “Oh, that I were made judge in the land, and everyone who has any suit or cause would come to me; then I would give him justice.” 5And so it was, whenever anyone came near to bow down to him, that he would put out his hand and take him and kiss him. 6In this manner Absalom acted toward all Israel who came to the king for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.
ii. He is driven from the palace
iii. He is cursed at by embittered people – 2nd Sam. 16:5-8 - 5Now when King David came to Bahurim, there was a man from the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei the son of Gera, coming from there. He came out, cursing continuously as he came. 6And he threw stones at David and at all the servants of King David. And all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left. 7Also Shimei said thus when he cursed: “Come out! Come out! You bloodthirsty man, you worthless man! 8The LORD has brought upon you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned; and the LORD has delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom your son. So now you are caught in your own evil, because you are a bloodthirsty man!”
iv. This produces in David a helpless and overwhelmed feeling
B. Sometimes I get the feeling the whole world is against me, but deep down I know that’s not true. Some of the smaller countries are neutral. Robert Orben, Comedy writer, quoted in Bits & Pieces, Vol. T/No. 17, p. 22
C. There is a strategy that is used by the ungodly in relentlessly pursuing the destruction of Christian joy and faith:
i. Find others that will be of the same opinion (1a - LORD, how they have increased who trouble me!)
a. “Strength in numbers” is the philosophy.
b. Evil rarely operates alone because one of its weaknesses is its cowardice.
ii. Provide a united front to strengthen resolve (1b - Many are they who rise up against me.)
a. It is easy to get people worked up into a frenzy.
b. Present a problem and convince them to join because it affects them adversely.
c. Sadly enough, this how elections are won and lost these day:
• Demonize the opposition
• Promise great things to others that will vote for you
• THE PROBLEM: They rarely follow through on the promises.
• This is why we should always look at the character of the person rather than just their words.
iii. Attack with mockery and doubting (2 - Many are they who say of me, “There is no help for him in God.”)
a. They desire to get you to doubt or be discouraged
b. They think it’s funny and amusing to deride one’s belief in Jesus Christ and His Word.
c. These are scorners and fools - Proverbs 1:22 - “How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity? For scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge.
d. Even today, mankind mocks our belief in Christ’s return - 2nd Peter 3:3-4 - 3Most importantly, I want to remind you that in the last days scoffers will come, mocking the truth and following their own desires. 4They will say, “What happened to the promise that Jesus is coming again? From before the times of our ancestors, everything has remained the same since the world was first created.”
iv. Absalom should have heeded the wise counsel – Ps. 33:16 - No king is saved by the multitude of an army; a mighty man is not delivered by great strength.
2. The Lord’s Tactics That Triumph – 3:3-8
A. David, through all this trial, never lost his focus and hope in God
i. It was confidence in who God was
ii. It was confidence in what God could do
iii. It was peace in the midst of trouble
iv. Trust in God is a key element in this Psalm for David. It was there and hopeful.
B. I heard about a young lawyer who was called in from the big city to represent a large railroad company that was being sued by a farmer. It seems that the farmer’s prize cow was missing from a field through which the railroad passed, and the farmer was suing for the value of the cow. Before the case was to be tried, the lawyer cornered the farmer and convinced him to settle out of court for half of what he originally wanted. The farmer signed the necessary papers and then accepted the check. The young lawyer could not resist gloating a bit about his success. He said to the farmer, "You know, I couldn’t have won this case if it had gone to trial. The engineer was asleep and the fireman was in the caboose when the train passed through your farm that morning. I didn’t have a single witness to put on the stand!" With a wry smile, the old farmer replied, "Well, I tell you young feller, I was a little worried about winning that case myself because that cow came home this morning."
C. The fourfold strategy of God we can rely on when the enemy comes after us:
i. God takes a personal approach to each child of God and their situation – 3
a. He protects us – He is our shield – Psalm 18:2 - The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
b. Restoration
• Negative (because of shame)– Job 10:15 - If I am wicked, woe to me; even if I am righteous, I cannot lift up my head. I am full of disgrace; See my misery!
• This is a symbol of triumph – Psalm 27:6 - And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me; therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the LORD.
• Here in this text, the words lifts up my head express restoration to dignity and position. Walvoord, John F. ; Zuck, Roy B. ; Dallas Theological Seminary: The Bible Knowledge Commentary : An Exposition of the Scriptures. Wheaton, IL : Victor Books, 1983-c1985, S. 1:793
ii. God hears and responds to the prayers offered by His children – 4
a. God ears are open to us - Psalm 34:4 - I sought the LORD, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.
b. He wants us to come to Him and ask Him - Matthew 7:7 - “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
iii. God gives rest and reassurance that everything is under His control – 5-6
a. fearlessness
iv. God defeats and depowers our enemy – 7
a. God has given us a different call – love your enemies.
b. We need to let God take care of the situation and not retaliate
c. A despondent woman was walking along the beach when she saw a bottle on the sand. She picked it up and pulled out the cork. Whoosh! A big puff of smoke appeared. “You have released me from my prison,” the genie told her. “To show my thanks, I grant you three wishes. But take care, for with each wish, your mate will receive double of whatever you request.”
“Why?” the woman asked. “That bum left me for another woman.”
“That is how it is written,” replied the genie.
The woman shrugged and then asked for a million dollars. There was a flash of light, and a million dollars appeared at her feet. At the same instant, in a far-off place, her wayward husband looked down to see twice that amount at his feet.
“And your second wish?”
“Genie, I want the world’s most expensive diamond necklace.” Another flash of light, and the woman was holding the precious treasure. And, in that distant place, her husband was looking for a gem broker to buy his latest bonanza.
“Genie, is it really true that my husband has two million dollars and more jewels than I do, and that he gets double of whatever I wish for?”
The genie said it was indeed true. “Okay, genie, I’m ready for my last wish,” the woman said.
“Scare me half to death.” Tom Nedwek, quoted by Alex Thien in Milwaukee Sentinel
c. Romans 12:19-20 - 19Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. 20Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”
d. There’s a story about an Irish lady whose husband was always drunk. She went to a pastor and said, "I’ve done all I can to correct my husband’s life. I’ve even chased him around with a frying pan." The pastor said, "Have you thought about heaping coals of fire on his head?" She replied, "I’ve thought of some awful things, but not that!" She missed the point. To heap coals of fire on someone’s head is simply to give your love in return for someone’s hate. The pastor was saying to overcome evil with good.
e. The lesson is that God will take care of those who come against us because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world (1st Jn. 4:4).
Conclusion:
How quickly our tune changes when we look to and trust in God. In the opening of the Psalm, David complains of the strength and ferocity of his enemies and ends in verse 8; salvation belonging to the Lord.
As you live your faith before others, do you sometimes find them making fun of your beliefs?
Do they watch your every move?
They may even try to test and tempt you to do wrong.
