Text: Psalm 30:1-12, Title: Does God Make Us Sick? , Date/Place: NRBC, 12/26/10, AM
A. Opening illustration: story of the young woman from a Christian home in rebellion,
B. Background to passage: some think that this psalm was written following the census incident, but we can’t be sure. The only clue we are given is this reference to the House of David, which is rather unclear. If this psalm was written for the dedication of the temple, David wrote it in anticipation of the work that Solomon would do. And his (David’s) desire is that God’s blessing, discipline, and deliverance would be remembered by those that would serve Yahweh within the temple courts. Disclaimer: sin is not the only reason that we get sick (consider Job), however there are more scenarios in the bible of people getting sick as a consequence to their sin than the other way around.
C. Main thought: David was blessed with riches, power, and security; but pride, self-sufficiency, and independence developed, and God’s disfavor brought David (and his people) to sickness for humility. Humility led to repentance, deliverance, and that led to worship.
A. From Blessing to Sin (v. 6-7a)
1. The basic storyline is found in vv. 2-3: David was sick, God kept him from dying. Good story, one we all want to tell when we get sick. But David gives more insight in these verses. He says in prosperity: defined as a state of security, abundance (both provisions and health), and ease. One Hebrew lexicon noted that this prosperity often gives a false sense of total security. And thus his declaration that “he shall never be moved” revealed the attitude that He is unassailable, unable to be brought low, dethroned, or harmed.
2. Matt 19:23, Pro 16:18, Dan 4:30, Oba 1:3-4, Luke 12:19,
3. Illustration: Indicators of genuine favor of God: money? Rich man and Jesus, shock of the disciples, "in outward prosperity men are apt to sing a requiem to themselves, and fancy it will always be thus with them, be in health of body, and enjoying the affluence of temporal things, and so put away the evil day in one sense and another from them...and who also, when in comfortable frames of soul, and in prosperous circumstances in spiritual things, are ready to conclude if will always be thus with them, or better...but they may be moved as to the exercise of grace and discharge of duty, in which they vary; and especially when they are self-confident, and depend upon their own strength for the performance of these things, and for a continuance in such frames"
4. In America (or at least with the bulk of our congregation) where generally speaking, we don’t worry about a roof over our heads, or where our next meal is coming from, of if we will be cut off from any help, we tend to be pretty self-sufficient. We pride ourselves in not needing help from others, in fact, most of us are the helpers that others need. But God doesn’t strive for your independence, but your dependence; He doesn’t strive for you to be self-sufficient, but to be God-sufficient. This attitude may come from our lack of realization or active thought about how dependent we are, or from trust in riches (idolatry). But we must guard against it, because it invites God to humble us.
B. From Sin to Consequences (v. 4-5, 7b)
1. Several consequences flowed from David’s pride in God’s determination to humble him. The main subject of the prayer is sickness. If the setting is following the numbering of the people, you know that there was a plague that followed. Whatever the case, David was sick. Ample scriptural evidence that God can and does make and allow people sick. But also David notes God “hiding His face” from David. The usual presence, intimacy, and closeness in his fellowship with God was now cold. David also notes the disfavor, even anger of God against him. David also notes, with thanksgiving I might add, the guilt and conviction he felt at “the remembrance of His holy name.”
2. Judges 3:9, 12, Pro 29:23, Dan 4:31, Gal 6:7
3. Illustration: National Geographic reported that a 13-foot Burmese python swallowed a 6-foot alligator in Florida . The consequences were lethal, as the gator split the snake open from the inside out, literally. That’s like what sin does to us. We think we have something great, until it destroys us from the inside out. Joe Louis was to fight Billy Conn in June of 1941, even though Conn boasted in his ability to move quickly overcoming his size disadvantage, Louis stated, “you can run, but you can’t hide,”
4. Lots of things money can buy, and security can fix, but not health. One cannot control cancer, strep throat, cerebral palsy, asthma, migraines, diabetes; these are things that are beyond our control. But most of the time, they tend to get our attention. This is the reason that they are good humblers. Sensitive believers who walk with God closely and consistently realize it when the Spirit of God seems far away. Do you notice if He is not as close? Even though we will not bear God’s wrath because of Christ, our sin still is an offense to God, and stirs Him to anger. Sin will surely bring guilt if we are His. Be afraid if you can sin without guilt, it either means that you are not genuinely saved, or that your heart is so hardened that you can’t even feel conviction. Let all of these results be a warning unto us that sin will bring these consequences. Of course, our highest motivation is that we should all want to avoid sin because we love God, rather than fear of His judgments. But there is nothing wrong (and I think the bible presents it as a proper motivation) with a healthy fear of the results. Sometimes that is what most helps us to avoid it.
C. From Consequences to Humble Prayer (v. 2, 8-10)
1. David remembered God’s holiness in his suffering according to verse 4b. And all his chastisement from the Lord convinced him of his sin, and most importantly of his need for God’s favor. His faith, although having been place on a faulty foundation of self, was now pointed back where it should be. And David knew that even though he was experiencing suffering, God’s disfavor/anger would not last forever. And he also knew the character of God, a God of grace, mercy, compassion that extends to 1000 generations for those who love Him and keep His covenant. So David turns to God based on that mercy (v. 10).
2. Judges 3:15, Micah 7:8-9, 2 Chron 7:14
3. Illustration: "Louie, why did you do it So you owed me $15,000. What’s $15,000 between friends? Then the 2nd creditor goes up and says, "Louie, all you had to do was ask. I would have extended the $50,000 you owed me indefinitely." Now a 3rd creditor goes up to the coffin. "Louie, you dirty rat You borrowed $200,000 from me and now I’ve lost my house and business. Well, you may be dead but I’m going to get my vengeance. I’m going to take this 8 inch butcher knife, stick in your heart and twist it once for every dollar you borrowed from me." With this, Louie opens one eye and ever so slightly, lifts his index finger and says "You - I’ll pay." "It is the duty of nations, as well as of men, who owe their dependence upon the overruling power of God, to confess their sins and transgressions in humble sorrow, yet with assured hope that genuine repentance will lead to mercy and pardon, and to recognize the sublime truth announced in the Holy Scriptures and proven by a history that those nations only are blessed whose God is the Lord. The awful calamity of civil war which now desolates the land may be but a punishment inflicted upon us for our presumptuous sins, to the needful end of our national reformation as a whole people. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us. We have grown in numbers, wealth, and power as no other nation has grown, but we have forgotten God." –Abraham Lincoln
4. Just as loving parents you desire mercy for your children (although they must know discipline to realize the offense of their sin, which is a crucial prerequisite for repentance and belief), God desires to lavish mercy upon you. And He will forgive you your faults and return you to fellowship when you call on Him with a truly repentant heart. He may not completely alleviate all the consequences set in motion by your sin, but forgiveness is sure to believers. Avoid the pitfall of bitterness, and of false surface repentance, and allow difficulty brought on by your own sin drive you back to the One whom you left. Plead your dependence with tears and genuine sorrow, willing to turn from sin, and He will forgive, cleanse, heal
D. From Deliverance to Worship (v. 1, 11-12)
1. David exults in the fact that God did deliver him from death, from sickness, and from the absence of the presence of the Holy Spirit. And David doesn’t turn away and soon forget what God had done. In fact, he begins to declare it among the people through this psalm, encouraging them to worship along with him. Furthermore, he puts in down in writing to be read years after His death at the dedication of the temple. And God put it down to last forever, telling generation after generation this truth in the Word. He begins with worship and ends with worship, vowing to give thanks to God for His deliverance and His merciful character.
2. Luke 17:17-18, Ps 106:13, 78:11, Eccl 5:5,
3. Illustration: heard a story once of a man who was shipwrecked, floating on the ocean on a piece of debris, he vowed to God that he would give all that he owned to the church and serve Him forever if he would only let him see some land. Then as he saw land he was swimming, but the current kept carrying him back out, and he bargained with God that if God would help him get through the current, he would give the church half of all he owned, and begin faithful attendance. Making it through the current, his legs and body were simply too exhausted to go on, and so bargaining some more, he told God that if he would just give him the strength to get to shore, he would tithe to the church most weeks, and attend more than just Christmas and Easter…several of you shared on Christmas Eve how merciful God has been to you,
4. We are quick to call on God in a bind, and also quick to forget His deliverance. You know that even without deliverance, God wants you to worship Him for His goodness, sovereign wisdom, and sufficiency? Turn to God in worship when you are forgiven. In fact, give testimony to God’s faithfulness in public, encourage the church to worship this God who is worthy to call upon for forgiveness and deliverance. And my prayer is that deliverance would lead, not only to worship, but to a transformed life. We don’t transform by rules, but by the Spirit. And you may vow to the Lord to serve Him better and more, but don’t make vows you don’t intent to put forth the effort to keep.
A. Closing illustration: Erika was jokingly fussing at Knox for spitting up, and I told him that he would probably receive far less spankings from his mother than he would deserve because he is number last, and the only boy, more often than not, we get grace, rather than punishment, as Christ stripes bore our punishment, and earned our healing. Ill of the principal who took the whipping for the student. Shouldn’t we not respond as this child with weeping and tears, contrition and repentance, so that not only shall we avoid hardship, but so that we please our Father who loves us so much that He did this to His Son that we might have life!
B. Does God make us sick? Yes, sometimes He ordains, and sometimes He permits.
C. Invitation to commitment
Additional Notes
• Is Christ Exalted, Magnified, Honored, and Glorified?
