What To Do When Your World Falls Apart

Title: “What to Do When Your World Falls Apart” Script.: Psalm 3

Type: Expository Series Where: GNBC 11-1-20

Intro: As a young man, film director Robert Flaherty spent many months in the far north looking for iron ore and cod. He found neither, but he did shoot 70,000 feet of film in his travels. Someone encouraged him to edit the film and make a documentary, which Flaherty spent weeks doing. But just as he finished, a match from his cigarette dropped among the celluloid, consuming the entire film and burning Flaherty badly. His response to the disaster was a determination to return to the far north and make a film of Eskimo life “that people will never forget.” He did just that, and the result was the classic 1922 documentary, Nanook of the North.(Today in the Word, July 19, 1993). I know many people who wouldn’t have made the effort Flaherty did when he had his set back. Most would have thrown in the towel. Certainly not made the enormous trip again. What about you and me? What do we do when face major life setbacks? How do you face struggles? What do you do?

Prop: Psalm 3 will be instructive in 3 ways when we are going through significant struggles.

BG: 1. Psalm 3 was written out of the experience of David’s greatest struggle.

2. Psalm 3 excellent example of Hebrew Poetry- v. 1 Synonymous – similar ideas repeated.

3. The events are recorded in 2 Samuel 15-18, but the heart of David at that difficult time is recorded in this psalm.

Prop: Let’s allow Psalm 3 to instruct us when we are going through significant struggles.

I. 1st We See David’s Trial

A. First, we Notice David’s Cry to God.

1. David cries out to God when his world begins to fall apart.

a. David’s sin had set in motion a series of devastating consequences. Vv.1-2 (Read). Years before David had sinned with Bathsheba and had Uriah killed, actions that set in motion other events. Had he repented? Yes. Were there consequences? Yes. Negatively influenced his family. In time, oldest son, Amnon, would rape his ½ sister, Tamar. David refused to punish his son. Result was another son, Absalom took revenge on Amnon and murdered him. After several years in exile Absalom returns to Jerusalem, yet the king, again, refuses to confront him. Bitterness and anger compile. Offenses grow, and rebellion takes place with Absalom undermining his father in a violent coup.

b. In this verse we see David calls out to God. In the NASB, “Lord” is “Adonai”, “Sovereign Lord”. Yet, when translated, “LORD”, “Yahweh”, the Personal, covenantal name of God. Like Moses at Sinai. This is similar to the NT Christian referring to the Lord as “Abba Father”. It implies a personal, loving, relationship.

2. Think about the effects of this trial in David’s life.

a. Consider David’s trial. This was the king’s most humiliating experience of his life. Everything he had worked years to attain unravel in a matter of hours! Many of the most faithful friends, confidants, and advisors become a part of this rebellion. The most painful wound of all is the betrayal of his own son, Absalom, the leader of the coup.

b. V.2 – David’s enemies are apparently mocking his relationship with and hope in the Lord for deliverance. Friend, let me tell you, that is a great position to be in! When your enemies begin to make the battle that is between you and them into a battle between them and your God…move over and watch God work! (Illust: Do you remember II Chron.32:14? Hezekiah was the king. Judah surrounded by the superpower Assyria. Sennacherib is breathing out violent threats. Telling the people to lose heart and not listen to Hezekiah. And then the Assyrians say this: “Who among all the gods of those nations that my ancestors utterly destroyed was able to save his people from my hand, that your God should be able to save you from my hand?” (Oh boy!)

B. The Believer’s Trial

1. As believers in Christ we are not immune from our own personal trials in this life.

a. In fact, all Christians will experience trials in this life. Three important verses to consider: II Tim. 3:12 “In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted…” II Cor. 4:8 “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair…” Rom. 8:28 “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[a] have been called according to his purpose.” I picked those three from a host of passages could have. Here’s the reason: If you are going to identify with Christ in a fallen world, you will suffer. Sometimes that suffering may seem crushing! Yet, we are not given over to despair. Why? Because we know that God has a good plan in place for our lives through and in the midst of the suffering.