Taste And See That The Lord Is Good

Text: Psalm 34:2-9

Pentecost 12 – Series B

Theme: Taste and See that the Lord is Good

1. The foolishness of misplaced trust.

2. There is hope for those who trust in the Lord.

Psalm 34:2-9

2My soul will boast in the LORD; let the afflicted hear and rejoice. 3Glorify the LORD with me; let us exalt his name together. 4I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. 5Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. 6This poor man called, and the LORD heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles. 7The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them. 8Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.9Fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him lack nothing.

INTRODUCTION:

Today I want to lead you to think about your thankfulness to the Lord by talking about trust. In whom do you trust? Trust and thankfulness are tied together. When you put your trust in the Lord and know by faith that he is good, then you will see so much in life to be thankful for. When you rely on friends, neighbors, yourself, or fellow congregation members instead of trusting in God for all that is needed, then you will be disappointed because of your misplaced trust.

First we will look at the foolishness and tragedy of misplaced trust, and then I want to give you the comfort of God’s Word which tells us, There is hope for those who trust in the Lord.

Our Psalm says, in verse 8: Taste and See that the Lord is Good.

First, let us see The Tragedy of Misplaced Trust.

A. In the days of Noah there were many people who trusted that the days of pleasure which the were enjoying would always continue. They mocked and scorned Noah, who was very much alone in his trust in the Lord who had said a great flood was going to come. Consider the chagrin and foolishness those sinners must have known as the waters rose around them, and they found their trust had been badly misplaced - and they perished from the face of the earth.

B. Or let us consider the giant soldier of the Philistine army, Goliath, who laughed with gleeful scorn as he saw puny David the teenage-rock-thrower approaching unarmed. How shocked he must have been to realize that all his armament and mighty strength would be useless to him, as David’s stone flew true to its mark. Goliath had trusted that he could whip anyone the Israelites had to offer, and he probably could have. But, David trusted in the Lord, the one true God, and Goliath was no match for God.

C. Now remember with me the man Jesus described as a rich man who had a really good, full harvest. He decided within himself that he had it pretty good, and so he determined to tear down his old barns and build new ones to hold all his wonderful wealth of harvest. How the words of the Lord must have burned in his soul as he heard the declaration: “You fool - this night shall your soul be required of you.” He hadn’t thought about that!

APPLICATION: How foolish, how tragic - to misplace our trust!

Satan is constantly searching for ways to get us to trust in anything, he doesn’t care what, more than God. No matter what our problems - physical, emotional, financial – whatever they might be in our homes or in our church life, Satan seeks to have us trust in ourselves, in each other, or in a friend or family member first and then remember God, if we must. We see that in how we react to problems. Who do you go to when you have a problem? Do you keep it inside and try to work it out yourself? Do you go to your spouse first for advice? Do you seek the counsel of a neighbor or friend as the first source of wisdom? Do you commiserate with other people as if God doesn’t know or care?

But too often, we do not trust. This is why God allows so many difficulties into our lives. This is why there is so much trouble throughout our land, why cities live in fear of crime and violence. This is why there is unrest among families, and among the people of God. We have all been guilty of misplaced trust! And now God is calling on us to remember who is still over all and in control of all. He is calling on us to repent and return to him. He drives us to our knees to pray to him for the help that we need. We dare not rely on ourselves; if we reject God’s direction, we will receive our due reward – shame, defeat, and destruction. We need to learn that we cannot trust God TOO MUCH, and ourselves TOO LITTLE.