The Desire Of The Humble

The Desire of the Humble

Prairie Baptist Church – 11/1/09

P.M. Service

Text: Psalm 10

Key verse: Psalm 10:17-18 - 17LORD, You have heard the desire of the humble; You will prepare their heart; You will cause Your ear to hear, 8To do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed, that the man of the earth may oppress no more.

Premise: When a person is truly humble before his Father, the desires of the heart change, joy becomes greater, and life more fulfilling and complete.

The Introduction

During the days when Mohammed Ali was a great boxer, he would go around in his arrogance and say that, "He was the greatest." Humility was never his strong suit. One day, back in his prime, he was on an airplane and the plane was ready to take off and the flight attendant had repeatedly told him to put on his seat belt. He finally told her, "I’m superman and superman don’t need no seatbelt." The flight attendant didn’t hesitate a minute but shot back with, "Superman don’t need no airplane either, now buckle up."

Here we are dealing with the last 2 verses of the Psalm and looking in retrospect at the preceding 16 verses in light of verses 17 and 18.

Humility in this day and age is nearly extinct.

• It is about self-realization

• It is about pride and success in the world

• It is about being first

For the Christian, humility is indispensable:

• It is what God honors most

• It reflects the character of Christ

• Our joy becomes greater

• Our life becomes more fulfilling and complete

• This can only happen because of the regenerative work of the Holy Spirit

1. The Attitude of the Sinful and the Weeping of the Saint – 10:1-4

2. The Actions of the Sinful and the Waiting of the Saint – 10:5-11

3. The Accountability of the Sinful and the Wanting of the Saint – 10:12-15

4. The Annihilation of the Sinful and the Worship of the Saint – 10:16-18

Body

1. The Desire for Holiness

A. In this Psalm, we find by mankind, the opposite of holy behavior:

i. Pride – 3-4

ii. Rebellion – 5-7

iii. Treachery – 8-11

B. A story is told of a little girl many years ago in the slums who saw a beautiful white lily. The children gazed upon and touched the lovely lily. This little girl then looked at herself and immediately fled to her home. She used the finest soap she could find, and did her best to make herself more presentable. The lily had awakened her desire for cleanliness. So to look upon our great and holy God awakens within the child of God the desire to be more like Him."

C. What desiring holiness does:

i. It fulfills God’s command and thus is an act of obedience, which pleases God.

a. 1st Pet. 1:15-16 – 15but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”

b. God is always pleased when we obey

ii. It gives us a sense of our dependence on Him

a. This is the primary goal of our lives that God wants

b. When we match ourselves against God’s holiness, we know we are totally inadequate.

c. The only place we can turn to is Him to accomplish holiness in us

d. David cried, Psalm 61:1 - . . . lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

iii. It accomplishes the goal of God for us and His body

a. 1st Pet. 2:5 – you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

b. 1st Pet. 2:9 – But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

2. The Desire for Closeness

A. Mankind seeks to get as far away as he can from God

i. He substitutes the true God for his idea of God

ii. He ignores God (4)

iii. He makes himself believe that God is indifferent or somehow blind (11)

iv. Bottom Line: He distances himself (Out if sight, out of mind)

B. Closeness to God is achieved:

i. By the blood of Christ – Eph. 2:13 – But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

ii. With a humble heart - Ps. 34:18 – The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit.

iii. By those who call on Him in truth – Ps. 145:18 – The LORD is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth.