Psalm 25:14-22, Jeremiah 17:5-10, 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8, Matthew 15:21-28.
A). THE SECRET OF THE LORD.
Psalm 25:14-22.
“The secret of the LORD” (PSALM 25:14a). This speaks of the friendship, the intimate fellowship that the believer has with the LORD. It is as if we were seated upon our couch ‘in heavenly places in Christ Jesus’ (cf. Ephesians 2:6), listening to Him tell the “secret” of our redemption, the hitherto hidden ‘mystery of godliness’ (cf. 1 Timothy 3:16). A “secret” now revealed.
“is with them that fear Him” (PSALM 25:14b). This is not a craven fear, as if the LORD were about to condemn us for our sins. It is a fear of respect, a fear of love arising from a solemn consideration of what God has done for us in Christ (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:19).
“and He will show them His covenant” (PSALM 25:14c). The LORD is pleased to reveal to us the mystery of His covenant of grace, and our own part in it. We come to know God as our Father, His Son as our Saviour, and the Holy Spirit assures us of our salvation.
Seeing God as our LORD and Saviour, our “eyes are ever toward the LORD” in faithful confidence that “He shall pluck me out of” whatever “net” the devil may have set for us (PSALM 25:15).
Yet even as we resolutely turn towards the LORD, we may fear that He has turned from us, and feel the need to appeal anew unto His “mercy” (PSALM 25:16).
Our “heart” becomes troubled: but we look only to Him to “bring me out of my distresses” (PSALM 25:17).
In the midst of our “affliction and pain” we remember our “sins” and plead again for forgiveness (PSALM 25:18).
David asked the LORD to “Consider” - to look upon - his haters (PSALM 25:19; cf. Exodus 14:24). The “enemies” of the believer are “many” and “cruel.” We are as sheep in the midst of wolves (cf. Matthew 10:16).
“O keep my soul, and deliver me” (PSALM 25:20a). ‘Lead us not into temptation (hard testing), but deliver us from evil (or from the hands of the evil one)’ (cf. Matthew 6:13).
“let me not be ashamed; for I put my trust in thee” (PSALM 25:20b; cf. Psalm 25:2).
“Let integrity and uprightness preserve me; for I wait on thee” (PSALM 25:21). Not our own (cf. Psalm 25:11), but the LORD’s (cf. Psalm 40:11).
“Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles” (PSALM 25:22). Sometimes we can be so wrapped up in our own trouble that we forget that we are not the only ones in need of prayer. Whatever our troubles are, let us look together unto Jesus as our Redeemer - not only from all sin, but also from all troubles.
B). A TREE PLANTED BY THE WATERS.
Jeremiah 17:5-10.
The prophet Jeremiah’s response to the political and international situation of his day was, “Thus says the LORD” (Jeremiah 17:5). And what does the LORD say? He says, in effect, that there are two states of being, and two ways of life: and according to our relationship to either of these, we shall be counted “cursed” (Jeremiah 17:5), or we shall be counted “blessed” (Jeremiah 17:7).
First, the Cursed man is described in terms of mind, will and heart (Jeremiah 17:5). In his mind, he trusts in man. In his will, he makes flesh his strength. In his heart he departs from the LORD.
At the instigation of the enemy of our souls, (‘Hath God said…?’), man thinks he can make it on his own. Even Israel made the mistake of thinking that they could trust in the arm of flesh, looking to Egypt, to chariots, to horsemen to defend them, rather than to the Holy One of Israel (Isaiah 31:1). Man outside of Christ would sooner trust in his own resources than trust in the LORD.
By way of illustration, the Cursed man is like a shrub in the desert (Jeremiah 17:6). Such a person is described as all but rootless, ‘tossed to-and-fro with every wind of doctrine’ (cf. Ephesians 4:14). This man’s life is pointless, following every teaching and none with no set purpose; it is aimless, flapping around in the dry and arid land of unbelief but never finding a place to settle.
Second, the Blessed man is described in a twofold, almost repetitive way (Jeremiah 17:7). This man is described as the one who TRUSTS in the LORD, and whose hope IS the LORD. In contrast to the Cursed man, who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength (cf. Jeremiah 17:5).
Trusting in the LORD can sound somewhat utilitarian. In the Book of Judges, Israel would wander from God, have a crisis and (perhaps) cry out to Him; He would raise up a ‘Judge’ (or ‘Saviour’) to deliver them; they might sing and celebrate: but then they would wander from God all over again. People tend to treat God this way: He is ‘there’ when they need Him; but, when all is going well, they will hardly spare a thought for Him.
But this man, the Blessed man, doesn’t just trust in the LORD to fix the crisis: his HOPE is entirely ‘stayed’ upon Him (Isaiah 26:3).
Now this man, we see, is like the tree planted by the waters (Jeremiah 17:8; cf. Psalms 1:3). Its roots run deep, which is a metaphor for our being ‘rooted’ in Christ (Colossians 2:7); or ‘rooted’ in love (Ephesians 3:17). If we are firmly planted in the Lord, it is a life without fear: for nothing, but nothing, can separate us from His love (Romans 8:38-39).
Furthermore, such a Blessed life is fruitful for the LORD. "The waters" represent our source: the Holy Spirit (cf. John 4:13-14; John 7:37-39). We don’t just live for ourselves; nor even just for the Church; nor only for others: but we bear fruit unto God (John 15:16; Romans 6:22; Romans 7:4).
Now, having looked at these two ways of life, we are forced to confront our own hearts.
First, we must be warned: “The heart is deceitful above all, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9).
“Deceitful” is the word used to describe Jacob, who laid hold upon his twin’s heel at birth (Genesis 25:26), and twice supplanted his brother (Genesis 27:36). “Desperately wicked”, or more accurately ‘desperately sick’ is translated ‘incurable’ in Jeremiah 15:18; Jeremiah 30:12; Jeremiah 30:15. We are reminded of the Anglican Prayer Book’s contrite confession ‘we have done those things which we ought not to have done, and there is no health in us.’
Second, whilst it is impossible for man to fully comprehend his heart (Jeremiah 17:9c), we must recognise that it is God alone who knows our hearts: and knows them in every detail. “The LORD searches the heart, and tests the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the FRUIT of his doings” (Jeremiah 17:10). So ‘keep your heart with all diligence for out of it flows the issues of life’ (Proverbs 4:23).
After the Flood, the LORD promised ‘I will never again curse the ground for man’s sake, EVEN THOUGH the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth’ (Genesis 8:21; cf. Genesis 6:5). So, let us praise the Name of the LORD: for He who is the expert diagnostician, is also the surgeon who can fix our heart condition. The LORD gives us a new heart, taking away ‘the heart of stone’ and giving us a ‘heart of flesh’; putting His Spirit within us and giving us His grace to incline us to walk in His paths (Ezekiel 36:26-27)!
By the abounding grace of God, may we be found abounding in every good work today (cf. 2 Corinthians 9:8). Like a tree by the waters of His Spirit, may we abound in the place of blessing and produce ‘fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life’ (Romans 6:22). Amen.
C). TOWARDS SANCTIFICATION.
1 Thessalonians 4:1-8.
As Paul approaches the subject of “sanctification” (cf. 1 THESSALONIANS 4:3; 1 THESSALONIANS 4:4), he encourages his readers on their “walking” and “pleasing God” so far; but also “beseeches” and “exhorts” them “in the Lord Jesus” to “abound more and more” (1 THESSALONIANS 4:1). This is how we should be living, and should continue to live: in order to “please God.” This is an on-going work in our lives: to “please” God “more and more.”
Paul’s authority for this teaching is “the Lord Jesus” (1 THESSALONIANS 4:1; 1 THESSALONIANS 4:2). It behoves us to pay attention to these “commandments” (1 THESSALONIANS 4:2) because they do not originate with Paul, nor even with the other apostles, but with Jesus. Paul stands firm on his apostolic authority, knowing that (as he says elsewhere, in another context): ‘I received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you’ (cf. 1 Corinthians 11:23).
Furthermore, it is “the will of God” for us, that we should be holy (1 THESSALONIANS 4:3). The Apostle begins his discussion of what this means for us (for everyone, of all generations) by commanding “abstinence” from all kinds of sexual immorality. This is an ageless command: if we have been set apart BY God FOR God, then we must be separate FROM the heathen and hedonistic lifestyles of whatever generation we are living in.
The positive side of this teaching is that we should learn how to control ourselves, and to keep ourselves “in sanctification and honour” (1 THESSALONIANS 4:4). In contrast to this, Paul cites the passionate lust of the heathen, “which do not know God” (1 THESSALONIANS 4:5). It is OUR responsibility not to be like them – although we do have the help of “the Holy Spirit” (cf. 1 THESSALONIANS 4:8).
It is possible for Christians to be quite blasé about what they do and do not do. I have known respected Christians to excuse their own indiscretions with an assertion taken right out of context: that ‘it is covered by the blood.’ We need to be careful, because the Bible clearly teaches our accountability before the Lord, both here in this context (1 THESSALONIANS 4:6), and in 2 Corinthians 5:10.
We are called to be holy (1 THESSALONIANS 4:7). Christians are already ‘holy’ in God’s eyes, due to our consecration to Him. Here we are encouraged to live the life, and walk the walk, and to live up to our potential. In our outward deportment and behaviour we are to remember who we are and whose we are, and live up to the family likeness (cf. 1 Peter 1:15-16).
We have been sanctified, once and for all and forever, by the body of Jesus Christ (cf. Hebrews 10:10). Yet we must follow, pursue, strive for … personal holiness (cf. Hebrews 12:14).
To reject this calling is to reject God (1 THESSALONIANS 4:8). But He does not leave us to struggle on alone: He has “given unto us” His “Holy” Spirit. ‘Faithful is He who calls you, who also will do it’ (cf. 1 Thessalonians 5:24; Philippians 1:6).
D). A CRUMB FROM THE TABLE.
Matthew 15:21-28.
In the earlier part of the chapter, Jesus had disputed with some Scribes and Pharisees about ritual and tradition; and had taught those who would hear that defilement does not come from without, but from within. It is also true to say that FAITH flows from within, as the next incident demonstrates. Faith arises in the heart and comes forth out of the mouth (cf. Romans 10:8-10).
MATTHEW 15:21. Our Lord travelled northwards into the region of Tyre and Sidon, in modern-day Lebanon.
MATTHEW 15:22. We meet here "a woman of Canaan" whose daughter was “grievously vexed with a devil.” This alerts us to the fact, straight away, that the girl had a spiritual battle going on within her. Our battle is not against flesh and blood (cf. Ephesians 6:12). Sometimes, often, that battle is going on within us.
It is good when parents bring the needs of their children to Jesus. We should pray for them constantly and, like this woman, persistently. Her cry amounted to a statement of faith: “O Lord, thou son of David…”
MATTHEW 15:23. Now this woman was a Gentile, a non-Jew, and strictly speaking had no claim upon Jesus. Initially, Jesus ignored her. Then His disciples besought Him to send her away.
MATTHEW 15:24. Jesus now explained to the woman, “I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” When Jesus had sent out the twelve Apostles, He had warned them not to go into the way of the Gentiles, nor to enter any city of the Samaritans (cf. Matthew 10:5). This was His priority for the time being: the gospel was ‘to the Jew first’; and only then, thankfully, ‘also to the Gentiles’ (cf. Romans 1:16).
MATTHEW 15:25. The faith of the Canaanite woman emerged as she persisted in her petition. “Lord, help me.” This woman’s importunity has much about it to be admired. She was willing to be discouraged, insulted and all but turned away, holding out in her negotiations for her daughter until she got a result.
MATTHEW 15:26. Next Jesus said that it is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to (literally) “the little dogs.” The picture is of puppies, waiting to catch the scraps that fall from their masters’ hands. We are reminded, too, that the Jewish leadership often referred to Gentiles as ‘dogs.’
MATTHEW 15:27. However, such was the faith of the woman that she simply accepted the insult and turned it to her advantage. The faith in her heart knew that even a crumb would suffice: such was the power of Jesus.
MATTHEW 15:28. What came out of her mouth arose from within, and Jesus acknowledged, “O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt.” She no doubt went home, and found that it just as she had asked: ‘the devil gone out, and her daughter laid upon the bed’ (cf. Mark 7:30). A miracle conducted at a distance.
There is hope for us, even as there was hope for this woman from the margins of life. There is hope for our children as there was for hers. Who knows what blessings the Lord yet has for those whom we uphold in prayer before Him day by day?
