Who likes to receive good news? We all like receiving good news. When we receive good news we are joyful, happy, excited, but what about when you receive bad news?
Who likes to receive bad news? None of us. When you do how do you respond?
Some of the ways we respond when we receive bad news is we’re shocked. We’re dismayed. We panic. We cry. We become fearful. We become anxious. Feels like someone hit us in the stomach.
However for the believer it doesn’t have to be this way. When we receive bad news we don’t have to panic. We don’t have to be fearful.
When we receive bad news we can replace panic, w/ prayer. We can replace terror, w/ trust. We can replace fear, w/ faith.
This is what this psalm is talking about. The psalm is describing the godly, the righteous, v1 says…..
Notice v7 what it says about the one who fears the Lord and who delights greatly in his commandments.
He shall not be afraid of what? “evil tidings” Evil is bad, tidings is news. “Evil tidings” means bad news.
NIV "They will have no fear of bad news; “
A godly, righteous person is not afraid, terrified, fearful, dreadful, astonished at bad news.
Why? V7 his heart is fixed, = firm, stable, established secure, determined, steadfast, prepared, ready, arranged, settled, fastened.
This person has already made up their mind how they will respond when bad news come. They’re proactive, not reactive.
What have they already decided, ahead of time when bad news come? V7 “trust in the LORD.”
Their trust is in the Lord. That’s where they have their confidence. They are secure in the LORD, Yahweh, the Almighty, the everlasting one, the one who was, who is, and who is to come, the great I AM.
Let’s look at a couple things concerning bad news.
1. The Reality of bad news
Because this person fears the Lord and greatly delights in his commandments they realize that hearing bad news is ………
Inevitable.
Read the Bible. It tells us we live in a fallen world. It tells us sin abounds. Sickness abounds. Sorrow abounds. Death abounds. Evil is all around us. As a result bad news is inevitable. You will receive the call saying mother has passed. You will receive the call saying your father has passed. I have and some of you have also. These calls will come.
John 16:33 Jesus says, "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." -
In this world we will have tribulation, afflictions, trials, bad times, but we also have his peace. He overcame and so will we. He was victorious over sin, death and the grave and so will we. This is the victory that overcomes the world…our faith.
The one who fears the Lord and greatly delights in his commandments is not afraid of bad news: because their heart is fixed, trusting in the LORD. They know bad news is inevitable.
They also know that bad news is …
Inescapable.
There is no place on earth where you can go to escape bad news.
There is no secret island, mountain, temple, castle, monastery we can go to escape bad news. There is no secret knowledge you can learn.
"Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble." Jo 14:1
Because bad news is inevitable and inescapable it is
Unavoidable.
A man who received his fair share of bad news said, "man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward." - Job 5:7 As sure as sparks fly when two pieces of metal hit, man will experience trouble.
2. The Response to bad news
How do you respond when bad news comes?
As I said earlier we can panic or pray. We can be terrified or trust. We can be fearful or we can have faith.
"If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small." Pro 24:10
Let’s look at how some of the saints responded to bad news.
David was told his baby died. That’s bad news. That same day the Bible says he went to the house of the Lord and worshipped saying I cannot bring him back, but I can go to where he is.
How can someone respond like this in light of the death of a loved one? Because we know to die is gain. We know that we will see each other on the other side. We know to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. We know that death has been conquered by Christ.
In one day Job lost practically everything he had, his 10 children and his entire livelihood. That’s bad news. His response? The Bible says, "Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD. In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly." - Job 1:20-22
How can a person respond like this in face of great tragedy? Because of our faith. Because we fear the Lord and keep his commandments. We know we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 1 Tim 6:7
We know that although we may lose every earthly thing we have, our family, our finances, even our health, we know the Lord will never leave us nor forsake us and if we have him we have everything we need.
The Lord wants us to be strong in faith even when we hear bad news.
Daniel was told he would face the lions den. That’s bad news. He came out unscratched. When they asked him how he was not hurt he said “I trusted in God.” His heart was fixed on God. Dan 6:23
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were told they would be thrown in the fiery furnace. That’s bad news. But before they went in they said to the king, “our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up." Dan 3:17
Bad news can shake our faith and torment us with fear. The Lord wants our mind to be stayed on him and not overwhelmed by any bad news we might receive. "You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.” Isaiah 26:3
We must not be anxious about anything. Instead we must call upon him and cast all our cares upon the Lord in prayer. Then we will be filled with the peace of God in our hearts and minds.
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made know unto God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. "Phil 4:6-7
3. Reason for bad news
V1 “praise the Lord” Heb. Hallelujah.
Bad news comes to focus our attention on the Lord. Bad news is bad news when we focus on the news. When you receive bad news don’t focus on the bad news, focus on good news.
What’s the good news? All things work together for the good of those who love God who are called to accomplish his purpose. Everything works together to cause us to accomplish God’s purpose.
