Islington Baptist Church October 16, 2005
Psalm 73 Scripture reading: 1Peter 1, Romans 8:31-39
Staying true to Jesus is tough but doable
In Matthew 7:13-14 our Lord and Savior is quoted as saying "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
Without raising your hands, how many of you who have made a commitment to Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, have discovered that following Jesus and staying true to Him is tough to do?
In Psalm 73, which is our text for today, we are going to hear from a man named Asaph. Asaph had been hand picked by King David that he might serve as one of the chief worship leaders in Tabernacle- which was the center of worship in the land of Israel. Even though Asaph occupied such an esteemed position, he was no different than you and I, in respect to the fact he struggled, to stay faithful and true to God.
READ PSALMS 73
I. There are many things that can cause a person to stumble spiritually and waver in their commitment to Christ. v.2
Our enemy the Devil has many weapons in his arsenal that he has aimed at us. Satan’s chief purpose as it pertains to us who are the followers of Jesus is to knock us down and cause us to renounce our faith in Jesus. Hence, the apostle Paul says in Ephesians 6:11-13 “Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground…”
As regards to there being many things that can cause a person to stumble spiritually and waver in their commitment to Christ, I personally find Psalm 73:2 to be a gripping verse (READ). Asaph’s confession cuts me because I realize that what he says about himself and his spiritual weakness applies to me.
For Asaph, that which caused great turmoil in faith and commitment to God was the prosperity of those who could care less about God. From Asaph’s vantage point they had power, prosperity, influence, health, and a life of ease. Because of this there welled up within him intense envy and jealousy-- to the point that he pondered the question “Is following God worth it?” Verse 13.
While we might not be struggling with the sin of envy right now, every one of us has a weak point. Every one of us who has made a commitment to Jesus struggles with a variety of sins.
What’s your weakness? In this past week what were the sins that you struggled with?
If we give the Devil a foothold in our lives, which is so easy do, this opening, if we don’t fight against it, can swiftly lead to our spiritual downfall and a wavering in our commitment to Christ.
II. We cannot pin the blame for our stumbling, near stumbling, and sins on God. Verse 1
By nature we like to “pass the buck” and to blame someone else, anyone else but ourselves, for our struggles and sins.
At times, people say “It’s God fault!” people say. “God is to blame”.
Why our stumblings and sins are not God’s fault.
Because God is good.
Notice verse 1 and what Asaph says “Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart”. This is Asaph’s theological starting point.
Because Asaph starts with the fact that God is good, he comes to the proper conclusion that his struggle with the sin of envy was his problem. Because of God’s perfections, God could not and cannot be blamed.
As it says in the book of James “When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. James 1:13-14.
III. Regardless of how hard it is, or may become, to follow Jesus, staying faithful and true to him is worth it. Verses 16-28
In Psalms 73:13 Asaph tells of a thought that crossed his mind as he struggled with the sin of envying the wicked. “Surely in vain have I kept my heart pure; in vain have I washed my hands in innocence.”
For a time Asaph struggled with this thought. Perhaps you have too?
Yet note what Asaph says in verse 15 “If I had said, “I will speak thus.” I would have betrayed your children.” During his time of sin and trial Asaph kept this thought to himself for he knew the dangerous effects such thinking could have on others who following the Lord.
Even though Asaph had this thought cross his mind he ultimately came to the conclusion that following God was more than worth it. This is his testimony through verses 16-28 of Psalm 73. Read verses 23-28.
Application:
Into our hearts Satan is seeking to plant this thought “The cost of following Jesus is not worth it”.
We need to resist the Devil and his lies- for he is the Father of lies.
We also need to heed these Spirit directed words of the Apostle Paul, who wrote in 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
Regardless of how hard it is, or may become, to follow Jesus, staying faithful and true to him is worth it because: in Jesus alone is there the forgiveness of sins, in Jesus alone is the promise of Heaven and of eternal life, because, to us to love Him, there is the promise of Divine blessing and favor.
The benefits of following Jesus far outweigh the cost!
IV. If you feel yourself slipping into sin and therefore towards a weak commitment to Jesus, set your eyes afresh on Jesus who is the author and perfecter of your faith.
The pivotal moment in Asaph’s struggle with the sin of envy and the dark path it was leading him down was when he turned his ?? afresh upon God. Note v.16-17 in particular. Once Asaph did this, his spiritual sight was restored, he gained the victory, his commitment to God was strengthened, his (metaphorically speaking) drooping hands and weak knees were restored.
If you feel yourself slipping into sin and hence towards a weak commitment to Jesus, do as Hebrews 12:2 commands “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith…”
For those of us who have made a personal commitment to Jesus as our Savior and Lord the Bible has promised that God will finish his work of salvation in us and take us to glory.
Note Psalm 73:23-24 “…you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory.”
What are these verses saying:
1. God’s going to hold you up- He’s going to keep you from falling.
2. God’s going to guide you- He won’t abandon you, He’ll never leave you.
3. God’s going to ensure that you get to glory. In Philippians 1:6 it says “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
Have you slipped into various sins that have resulted in an ever weakening commitment to Jesus?
If so, do what Asaph did- recommit yourself to the Lord Jesus. Come before Him, confess your sin and your lack of faith, behold afresh his holiness, goodness, and worthiness of your service, love, and commitment.
CONCLUSION
I’ve been a follower of Jesus for quite a while. Generally speaking I know what the right thing to do is. However, before God I get no credit for knowing what the right thing to do is. My having good intentions to follow Him and do the right thing doesn’t count either. Doing the right thing, actually staying faithful to Jesus is what counts. Actually fighting, with the power of God, against the evil desires of my heart is what counts.
It’s so easy to slip and stumble. In Genesis 4:7 God is recorded as saying to Cain- who ended up murdering his brother Abel- “…sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it."
Sin is crouching at my door and yours. What are we going to do? Are we going to give in to it, are we going pull out the “cop out card” and blame God for our struggles, are we going to throw up hands and say “Living the Christian life is too hard” or are we going put on the armor of God and fight the evil desires that war within us and live for Jesus?
I hope that you’ve got some fight in you and that in your heart you are saying “I made a commitment to follow Jesus and with God’s help and strength I’m going to keep it.”
Closing song: He who began a good work in you.
