Who Am I?

Sermon for 9/23/2007

Psalm 106 (especially vs. 8)

Introduction:

Several months ago I was teaching the teenagers in Sunday school. We were talking about Exodus 33, a unique Scripture where it talks about Moses seeing the Lord. To open up the class I asked a question, “When we get to heaven, what three questions will you ask God?” After giving some questions, the teenagers asked me, “What questions will you ask of God?” I said, “Lord, why did you bother?”

WBTU:

A. Some would say I have low self esteem. God is so big and I am so small. Psalm 8:4- What is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?

B. God is also so pure and holy and we are so not. John the Baptist baptized Jesus Christ, the Son of God, but he said (John 1:27) - He is the one who comes after me, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.

C. Rusty Goodman Who Am I

When I think of how He came so far from Glory, Came and dwelt among the lowly such as I; To suffer shame and such disgrace, On Mount Calvary take my place; Then I ask myself the question, “Who am I?”

Then I’m reminded of the words, “I’ll leave thee never, Just be true, I’ll give to you a life forever.” Then I wonder what I could have done, to deserve God’s only Son; To fight my battles till they’re won, O Who am I?

Who am I that a King would bleed and die for? Who am I that he would pray: “Not my will, thine for?” The answer I may never know, Why He ever loved me so; That to an old rugged cross He would go, For who am I?

D. How could God do this since he knows how we are? John 2:24-25: But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all men. He did not need man’s testimony about man, for he knew what was in a man.

Thesis: Psalm 106 gives insight on what is in us and also on why God would do this for us!

For instances:

I. What is in us

A. Some people have an inflated opinion of themselves.

B. Philippians 3:7- But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. Jesus Christ did not come down because we were such wonderful people.

C. Some say "If I was there during the events of the Exodus it would have been different. I would have been Moses’ greatest cheerleader. I would have not doubted at the Red Sea. I would not have participated in the Golden Calf. I would have trusted Joshua and Caleb and stood up with them even if they stoned me." Oh really! They go on and on.

D. Hebrews tells us not to follow their example of disobedience but we do every day.

E. Psalm 106 tells us what is in us:

1. Memory Loss- we forget God’s goodness to us. Read vs. 6-12. Trouble ahead of us, trouble behind us but the main trouble is in our own minds. We forget so quickly and easily. Hugh said last week that the mind has a great capacity to remember but it also has a great capacity to forget.

2. Impatient- Forsake God’s way to satisfy our desires. Read vs. 13-15. In this instance it is talking about food, but in our day we should probably mention sexual desires. A study recently came out and it said that unmarried professing Christians might be engaging in more premarital sexual activities than non-believers.

3. Envious of God’s appointed leaders- Forsaking God’s authority. Read vs. 16-18. These rebels had no fear of God. Power hungry. There was severe discipline for this. There is a shortage of leaders. Why? Because we have so few followers. Everyone is a critic and no one is so fool hearty as to stick their neck out and do anything. As society abandons following God’s authority, there are many with delusions of grandeur. Fewer leaders who are doing it for the right reasons. Hebrews 13:17- Obey them (leaders) so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you. Lack of leaders leads to chaos, chaos leads to someone arising that is a dictator!

4. Materialistic Idolatry- Read vs. 19-23. Idolatry= giving the supremacy to something other than God. In our day probably the biggest idol is money. Heard of a young man who wanted to be a 4th grade public school teacher. His mother and father almost disowned him because he wouldn’t make enough money in that position.

5. Constant grumbling- Read vs. 24-27. Discontent even with Promised Land and they spread that discontent to others. We live in a land of plenty but how many are truly content. If we don’t know that we live in a land of plenty, go and visit a third world country and we will see that we live in a land of plenty. As our standard of living has raised so has level of discontent. It is been shown that once our basic needs are met (food, clothing, shelter) money has little bearing on happiness.