Milestones of Depravity

Berean Baptist on January 23, 2017

They have cast fire into thy sanctuary, they have defiled by casting down the dwelling place of thy name to the ground. (Psalms 74:7)

Recently I was listening to a podcast of The Briefing, which is a daily commentary on current events by Dr. Albert Mohler the president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. Dr. Mohler reports these events from a Christian perspective and usually has some very enlightening comments. In this particular podcast, he was discussing the issue of homosexuality and how the moral viewpoint of this subject has turned completely around. My purpose in this article is not to discuss homosexuality, but rather to comment on how much has been given up in moral values in general with our new worldview.

I was reminded of this while reading Psalm 74. If the subject matter of the Psalm is difficult for you, please be aware the psalmist is writing about the destruction of the temple by the Babylonians. His lament is over the devastation of this sacred edifice, but more importantly over God’s refusal to protect Judah when the Babylonian army descended upon them. Especially important is verse 9 as he says there is no sign or prophet any longer, and none of them knew how long they would be without word from God.

What impressed me in my thoughts about this psalm was the reason that Israel had reached this point in their history. Years of immorality and idolatry were the culprits. I think it is interesting that when the Babylonians came the temple was nothing like it was during the glory days of Solomon. The magnificence of the costly articles of gold were gone having been given away through the years by kings that appeased their enemies by paying tribute from the treasures of God’s house.

This caused me to think about the slow selling off of our moral values in America. The sexual revolution has not been an immediate affair. There was much groundwork laid for many years that brought us to this point. In 1973, the Supreme Court blasted a hole through our moral compass when it decreed abortion rights in the Roe v. Wade decision. We can hardly believe that a seared conscience has not been the ultimate result of that decision. If human life itself is not sacred, then anything you do with that life must be fair game. There are no boundaries for how low we can go if we decide the lives of the most innocent are worthless.

One by one the cognizant moral values that separate men from animals is disappearing. Since men are rational beings, we can actually sink lower than animals because we have the ability to choose to go lower. An animal cannot be sub-natural, but humans can. Rather, we might say that humans can explore the depths of their depravity and it seems we will not stop until we find bottom. Unfortunately, for those who choose to explore, there is no bottom. So, we descend past the value of human life and as we go we pass the depth markers of pornography, pedophilia, child abuse, homosexuality—and deeper and deeper we go.

One day we will turn around and discover the Babylonians have destroyed the temple. There is no preacher here and God’s help is nowhere to be found. When this time comes, we can look back and see how we slowly gave it all away. The country will be gone with no one to blame but us.

 

Pastor V. Mark Smith

Count Your Blessings

Berean Baptist on January 9, 2017

 

Psalm 73

Psalm 73 expresses what I am sure are the sentiments of every Christian. This psalm was written by Asaph who makes an affirmative statement of the goodness of God in verse one, but very quickly confesses that he sees a great disparity between the physical, financial, and material character of God’s people and the world.

Who among us has not felt some kind of inequity when thinking about how well off are many unbelievers while we as Christians often face the hardships of life? There are some who see this disparity and they try to compensate for it with a theology that says God intends for all His people to live in financial prosperity and never suffer the physical ailments that are common to man. In other words, God has provided something more in His atonement than their salvation from sin and the effects of the curse. They are determined that all the benefits of the atonement should be immediately realized. They postulate the reason we do not receive them is because of lack of faith in God’s intention.

I do not have the time or space to argue the intricacies of the atonement, but I will say this psalm certainly rejects the idea Christians should be free from suffering because of it. The psalmist may very well lament the difficulties of life, but he overlooks them in favor of the rich spiritual blessings we possess in Christ. God promised to rid us of all inequities in another time while those who enjoy the pleasures of the world now will lose out forever in the world to come.

The feeling of being shortchanged in the present life is at times common to us all. I feel it at times as I travel. I love to travel but I do not have the resources to do it often nor to travel in luxury. I wait to board an airplane with the cattle call with great feelings of inferiority as I enviously pass through first class and its soft seats looking at those who board first. On my last trip, I took my place in the last row next to the restrooms where I sat for 5 ½ hours in a seat that would not recline.

I took the flight magazine out of the seat pocket and began reading an article about how increasingly common it is for Americans to have second homes in places like the Hawaiian Islands. This particular article told of a family that had a vacation home in a community with 180 degree views of the ocean. They were in a planned housing development where the lots start at five to ten million dollars. The article stated it like this, “Why don’t you own at least two of these?”

I am the guy sitting in coach with my knees under my chin, so why let me read something that makes me feel like a total loser? I refinanced my house four times just to keep up. So, I put the magazine away and took out my Bible. I read Psalm 73 and relived the agony of the psalmist. But then I came to the last part. By far the majority of the extremely wealthy know nothing of life and peace with God. The Psalmist said these people are far from God and they will perish. Jesus said, “What will a man give in exchange for his soul?” I decided a $10 million lot in Hawaii is nowhere near worth what I have in Christ. So, I sat in coach and counted my blessings. After all, I could have spent my vacation in Bakersfield.

Pastor V. Mark Smith

The Kingdom Is Real!

Berean Baptist on January 2, 2017

 

Psalm 72

It is remarkable to read the psalms and see how the hope of the Kingdom of Christ continues to be a major topic. We can scarcely believe the Kingdom is a myth or that it is purely mystical or that the references to it are simply metaphors for spiritual blessings. It is readily apparent that both the authors of the psalms and the prophets fully expected God would do precisely as He said and establish a kingdom on earth in which the coming Christ would be its glorious monarch. A most enlightening proof of the literal reality of this kingdom is found in verses 5 and 17 of the 72nd psalm: “They shall fear thee as long as the sun and moon endure, throughout all generations…His name shall endure forever: his name shall be continued as long as the sun: and men shall be blessed in him: all nations shall call him blessed.” The first phrase of verse 17 says, “His name shall endure forever,” while the second says, “His name shall be continued as long as the sun.” These two phrases cannot speak of the same manifestation of God’s kingdom since one is eternal and the other temporal.

The first phase of God’s kingdom is earthly. It is a time sensitive rule which lasts only as long as the current universe exists. We know the cursed creation has a short shelf life as God intends to destroy it and begin anew. Second Peter tells us, “The heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works therein shall be burned up” (2 Peter 3:10). This will, of course, end the existence of the sun and all other heavenly bodies.

We can see how this corresponds to the end of the Millennial Kingdom. It will last until this great cataclysmic event occurs, and at this point Christ’s kingdom on earth will end. However, this is not the end of the kingdom altogether. It is only the end of the temporal form as the kingdom will be transitioned into its eternal form. Thus, the first and second phrases of verse 17 are both wondrously true.

In addition to this noteworthy proof, there are references in the psalm to the dominion of Christ, the servitude of all nations, the righteous character of the government, the economic prosperity, and the abundant provision of food. Each of these are repeated promises in multiple passages of scripture. In none of these is any indication they are purely symbolic.

The last verse of the psalm says, “The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.” This psalm must have been written near the end of David’s life, as the beginning of the psalm says it was written for Solomon. David was relying on the promise God gave him years before that his throne would be established as an everlasting throne. David knew Solomon’s rule would not be everlasting, so we see how the psalm quickly moves from Solomon to another King who has the power of endless life. The final King is the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ.

The kingdom of Christ on earth is a real unmistakable event. Its focus is Israel as the fulfillment of the promise made to them. However, it is also a promise for Christians today. We will rule with Christ in this kingdom. The church is not a replacement for Israel—we do not take over their promises. Instead, we will stand side by side with her and praise the glorious King forever and ever!

Pastor V. Mark Smith

 

 

Grow Old Gracefully

Berean Baptist on December 26, 2016

Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth. (Psalm 71:9)

The Bible is a fascinating book and amazes every time we open its pages. There is nothing we face in life that God does not have the exact answer we need. For the young, the Bible speaks of the blessing of godly parents who raise them to know Christ. For the middle aged, there is vitality of life that can be channeled into the service of the church in the most rewarding, fulfilling life that can be imagined.

This psalm takes us to the twilight of life when strength has failed, when eyes are dim, and when we face death, an unknown that all of us fear. How appropriate this is when thinking of the many aged believers that are a part of the Berean family. I know many people that walk into churches and then turn around and walk out because there are too many “blue-hairs” sitting in the pews. While we love a good mixture of young and old, the young are not here to provide a positive balance against the negative of the old. There is far too much to be learned from the precious old saints to dismiss them as the “past” of the church.

Each of us should be compassionately aware of the daunting challenges our old members face. William MacDonald expresses this wisely in his commentary on this passage: “To grow old gracefully calls for more grace than nature can provide. Old age is a new world of strange conflicts and secret fears; the fear of being left alone, the fear of being a burden to loved ones, the fear of becoming a helpless invalid, the fear of losing one’s grip, the fear of being imposed upon. These fears are not new. The psalmist is here thinking aloud for the encouragement of all who are in the autumn of life.”

Never did this hit so close to home as when my own mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Parents do not want to become a burden, and yet the reality of a disease like Alzheimer’s leaves the person with no alternatives. The compassion displayed by my sisters to take care of our mother is beyond commendable. Though very difficult, they did not shrink from the responsibility because it was hard. These are things you do for people you love.

I believe we should see the need for the same as a church. Our older membership faces the same fears. This is not the time to ignore them. We must do a better job of helping to meet their needs. We do love them, don’t we? They are a long-time part of our family, aren’t they? God’s way of meeting the needs of the aged and allaying their fears is to have other Christians watch for them. As John said, “Let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.”  (1 John 3:18)

When David prayed,  “Cast me not off in the time of old age,” he knew God had a way to sustain him just as He had in the days of his youth. Have you thought God’s method may be you? Much of God’s work is fulfilled through human instrumentality. It does not often take an extraordinary miracle for God to accomplish His work. Your love and concern is God’s method. The kindness of a visit, a prayer, the reading of scripture for those who love to hear it—this may be the answer to their prayer, “Cast me not off in the time of old age.”

 Pastor V. Mark Smith

I Am Poor and Needy

Berean Baptist on December 19, 2016

But I am poor and needy: make haste unto me, O God: thou art my help and my deliverer; O LORD, make no tarrying. (Psalms 70:5)

I wrote this article while sitting in the food court at Chicago O’Hare waiting for my flight to continue my trip home to Lexington, KY. It was a long, long layover, so I decided to make use of my time by doing a little bit of work. I really don’t consider it so much work but rather the privilege of consuming my time with the Word of God.

As we were waiting on the plane to disembark at the Chicago airport, the lady in front of me stood up and I noticed she was wearing a beautiful diamond studded cross around her neck. I was thinking about this cross as I sat down to write this article. I had forgotten what Psalm I was dealing with this week, so when I opened my Bible I was struck by verse 5 of Psalm 70. David wrote, “I am poor and needy.” The diamond studded cross around the lady’s neck was a glaring contrast to these words, but more importantly to the whole idea of a cross.

Our spiritual need is expressed by the first beatitude, “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” The poor in spirit are those who realize they are spiritually bankrupt with no hope to lift themselves from the throes of their deep poverty. We would think that in order to deliver the bankrupt it would take an abundance of riches. Who can help someone who is poor if they are equally poor? Despite the paradox, this is what Christ did. He became poor, forsaking the riches of heaven in order that we might be made rich. The cross He went to was not embossed with jewels because no such crosses existed. His cross was rough, splintered, and blood stained. It represented the most reprehensible death possible, and most criminals that experienced it were considered dangerous threats to society.

David said, “I am poor and needy” and in order for Christ to meet His need He went down to the place David was. Jesus is able to succor us because He feels our infirmities having experienced all we have been through. I scarcely believe Jesus would think a cross of diamonds would fairly represent who He is. This shows just how little most people understand of the reproach of the cross. If we knew it at all, no one would ever make a piece of jewelry of it. We would be horrified to wear it for such a misplaced purpose as an ornament of beauty.

I was not able to speak with this lady and I am sure she would not want to hear my opinion of her cross. She may have been a well-meaning Christian that was making a statement of her faith. On the other hand, she may have been like those who think such religious ornaments are required as meritorious acts that aid in salvation. A third option is that she likes beautiful, expensive jewelry not even thinking of belief in the one who died on the cross. The last two options are dangerous. Misapplying the work of the cross or ignoring its significance leads both persons to the same punishment. Neither understands how poor and needy they are.

Do you understand how God really sees you, and do you know what Christ did to change how He looks at you? The cross makes the difference. If He sees the cross before He sees you, the cross has fulfilled its intended purpose.

Pastor V. Mark Smith

Blotted Out!

Berean Baptist on December 12, 2016

Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous. (Psalms 69:28)

In last week’s article, we noted that Psalm 69 describes the agony of the suffering of Christ related to the events of the cross. This psalm shows the humiliation of Christ and the utter rejection of those who were His kindred in Israel. Of all the people who were complicit in His death, none was as sinister as Caiaphas, the high priest. Caiaphas was a Roman appointee as were all in the succession of high priests since Rome conquered Israel. Though he was not necessarily a full-fledged supporter of Rome, he was cooperative which helped him hold on to his position longer than any of his predecessors.

Despite the need to help sustain the Pax Romana (Roman peace), he still represented the sacred institution of the priesthood. As the highest religious authority, he had the responsibility of upholding God’s commandments. However, like the rest of the priesthood, scribes, and elders of Israel, he helped distort the Law so that it was an overwhelming burden that no one could bear. Jesus described this group of corrupt teachers as being willing to heap burdens on others, but unwilling to help lift the burdens. They broke their own laws with clever manipulation and in the process declared themselves righteous.

Practically to a man, all of these leaders were self-righteous hypocrites, and yet all of them believed they were as right for heaven as humanly possible. In their eyes, they were good enough and heaven should clap to hail their arrival. Psalm 69:28 is Christ’s strongest indictment against them.

This verse gives many a great deal of trouble. What is meant by the book of the living, and what do we make of blotting names out of it? First let me say the scriptures are clear that God has a book containing the names of all those who were predestined to eternal life. Their names were written in the book of life before the foundation of the world. Since God is omniscient, this is no trouble for Him. To think God would not have this information and plan for the salvation of the elect is to bring Him down to the level of man’s ignorance.

The second observation is that God is immutable. He does not write names and subsequently erase them. His omniscience supports His immutability as all God’s attributes work seamlessly together. How then can names be blotted out of God’s book? The key to the answer is found in Luke 8:18:  “Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have.” Caiaphas and the other leaders believed they possessed everything necessary to eternal life. As far as they were concerned, their names were recorded and I am sure many others thought so as well. When Christ said, “Blot out their names,” He means the same as He said in Luke. What they seem to have will be taken away and the truth will be made known that their names were never there.

Many professed believers suffer under the same delusion. Their hope is their trip down the aisle of a church, and/or a prayer they prayed in which they made their “decision.” Because of this, they believe they are safe and secure. Sadly, their activities of life and the absence of Christian graces belie their confession. At the judgment, what they seem to have will be taken away. The books will be opened and their names will not be found—their names were never written.

These matters are too high for us as this verse is a conversation between the Father and the Son. We cannot pretend to resolve the paradoxes because we are too feeble to understand the wisdom of God. There is only one way we can be sure Psalm 69:28 is not about us. We must repent of all our sins, trust Christ with all our heart, and surrender to Him as Lord. This is the definition of saving faith. Saving faith is also living faith that reproduces the life of Christ in us. If this is what you have, your name is there. Praise God Psalm 69:28 will never be said about you.

Pastor V. Mark Smith

 

Do You Hate Him?

Berean Baptist on December 5, 2016

They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head: they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away. (Psalms 69:4)

When commentators comment or preachers preach on the death of the cross, they write and speak with an outsider’s view. We speak without personal experience because we have not been through the great pain and suffering the Saviour endured. In this psalm, the story is not told from a commentator’s view, but from the mind of the precious Saviour Himself. This is one of the fascinating pre-manifestations of Christ as He speaks personally through the pen of David. His story concerns the terrible anguish He must endure.

The psalm begins with the analogy of a flood. Calvary is the place where the torrent of God’s judgment was unleashed upon Christ. Like a flood that completely overwhelms, the Saviour was engulfed with both the sins of the world and God’s’ wrath against it. I can imagine these statements may well have been a part of Jesus’ prayer in Gethsemane as He contemplated the death of the cross. Luke records His anguish was so great that His sweat was as it were great drops of blood. The mental anguish was so great that capillaries burst pouring blood into His sweat as it beaded and fell to the ground.

There is much to consider in this psalm, but today I am drawn to verse 4 and this phrase: “They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head…” Jesus quoted this verse in John 15:25:  “But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause.” They hated Him without cause is probably the most perplexing statement ever spoken. For what good reason should we turn our backs on the one who offers forgiveness, who saves us from certain destruction, and who promises the unfathomable blessings of heaven? Why are we not rather lost in wonders of ceaseless praise? And yet, we are not—none of us would have saved Jesus from the cross because we also hated Him without cause.

In the Lord’s Supper, we picture what men did to Christ. The bread is broken to symbolize the beating of His body. The cup is poured to reflect the blood pouring from the wounds in His head, His back, His hands, and His feet. As we solemnly partake of the symbols, we no longer hate Him. We are reconciled to Him by the cross, and the one we hated becomes precious. The contrast of the before and after picture is demonstrated by Peter: Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,  And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. (1 Peter 2:7-8)

We are humbled by the marvelous grace of our loving Lord who has made us partakers of the divine nature. Our sins are the cause of His torturous death, and His love is the cause of His triumphant redemption. The agony of Psalm 69 leaves us no excuse for any longer hating Him. When we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Rom. 5:8).

Which side of the psalm are you on? Have you trusted Him? If not, you hate Him without a cause. If you are not with Him, you are against Him (Matt. 12:30). I sincerely hope you will trust Him today. The only way to find out why He is truly precious is to see Him from the safety of His mercy, love, and grace.

Pastor V. Mark Smith

 

 

The Ark of the Covenant

Berean Baptist on November 28, 2016

Psalm 68

A few weeks ago I had a conversation with some of our members about my motivations for the study of God’s word. I have been teaching the Bible for over forty years, which by my obvious youthful appearance must mean I started when I was about four years old! I can’t explain exactly how it happened, but there was something in my father’s preaching that gripped me at a very young age. My desire was to know as much as he knew about the Bible. I have not reached that place after all these years, which has kept me in constant pursuit of the goal.

Psalm 68 caused me to reflect on this as I thought back to one of my father’s favorite topics, which was the preaching of the Tabernacle. I have to go back a long way to the first time I heard his series of messages on the subject. It must have been about 1960, and when I heard it I was hooked. The types of Christ found in Tabernacle worship became the foundation of my studies in the Word of God. All of the major doctrines of scripture are found there as they most gloriously display the magnificent work of our Lord Jesus Christ.

You might ask, “What has this to do with Psalm 68?” This is a very good question. The hint comes in verse 1 in which David said, “Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered: let them also that hate him flee before him.” Compare this to Numbers 10:35:  “And it came to pass, when the ark set forward, that Moses said, Rise up, LORD, and let thine enemies be scattered; and let them that hate thee flee before thee.” The subject of the psalm is thus identified. It is the movement of the Ark of the Covenant. This part of the Tabernacle worship is the most prominent because it represents the power of God in the presence of Jesus Christ.

The Ark was most useful on the Day of Atonement when the high priest went into the Holy of Holies to sprinkle the blood of the sacrifice on the mercy seat, a part of the Ark. This took place only once each year as the high priest made atonement for the sins of the entire nation. When sin is atoned, God is satisfied, and when Israel was sanctified the power of God was with them.

The power of the Ark struck fear into Israel as God strictly prohibited anyone to touch it (Numbers 4:15; 2 Samuel 6:6-7). Israel’s enemies also greatly feared the Ark: “And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, What meaneth the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews? And they understood that the ark of the LORD was come into the camp. And the Philistines were afraid, for they said, God is come into the camp. And they said, Woe unto us! for there hath not been such a thing heretofore.” (1 Samuel 4:6-7).

The Ark of the Covenant has always fascinated me. There is much missed by those who never care to explore its significance in Old Testament worship. My dad loved this study and his passion for it was passed on to me. I cannot imagine I would understand what I know about doctrine if had not been for this blessed study. We went through the Tabernacle in 2005, and I am not sure that I wouldn’t want to research and revise those messages for another time.

Psalm 68 tells of David’s movement of the Ark from the house of Obed-Edom to Jerusalem. It was a thrilling journey filled with singing, sacrifice, and jubilant praise. Soon it would find a permanent home in the exquisite temple built by Solomon. The Ark continued to be the focal point of worship until Israel disobeyed God and turned to idolatry. When this happened, the Ark was taken away and the power of God has not since returned to Israel. However, we have been studying Israel’s future glory which is assured when the Ark’s antitype, Jesus Christ, will rule from Jerusalem in the temple of the millennial kingdom.

We pray that we will learn the lesson of obedience well. With obedience will come blessing. Without it, the power of God will never be a part of our lives.

Pastor V. Mark Smith

 

The Light of the Nations

Berean Baptist on November 14, 2016

Psalms 67:1, 4

God be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause his face to shine upon us; Selah…O let the nations be glad and sing for joy: for thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth. Selah. (Psalms 67:1, 4)

Once again in the psalms we are brought to a message about the millennium when our God shall rule the whole earth in a literal, physical kingdom. Verse 4 speaks of this kingdom as one in which all nations will be able to enjoy the righteous judgment of Jesus Christ.

There is a sadness to this psalm, however. It should have been written about the condition of Israel at the time of its writing. Through Israel the world should have already seen that salvation was not only for the Jews and that Jehovah was not just the God of Israel. He is to be worshipped and glorified by all people. When Jesus was taken to the temple for His circumcision, there was an old man named Simeon who was guided by the Holy Spirit to take the baby in his arms and pronounce a blessing. Simeon was overjoyed to see the Christ child and he said: Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word:  For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel. (Luke 2:29-32)

At the time of this prophecy, Israel had long been in unbelief. The world had not been influenced by them—and even worse, there were hardly any believers in Israel at all. It is small wonder this should be the case since the nation had previously been in serious idolatry. The northern tribes had been assimilated into the peoples of Assyria and the southern tribes had been oppressed by the Babylonians. Even though the captivity was over, they had never since been free to rule themselves. This was God’s punishment for not guarding their trust to be a light to the Gentiles.

We needn’t think God’s purpose of salvation for all people would fail because of the Israel’s unbelief. Paul explains in Romans that Israel’s failure and their temporary chastisement was the opportunity for the salvation of other nations. As long as the Jewish laws and customs were enforced, they would be a serious hindrance to the gospel. God moved them out of the way, but He never intended to leave them set aside.

During the tribulation, God will resume His work with His chosen nation. He will raise a remnant of Jews that will recognize the Messiah. Under divine protection, they will preach the gospel until a vast company of Israel has received Him as Lord. They will also become a light to the Gentiles until there is a great multitude ready to enter the millennial kingdom. This has been our subject for the past two weeks in the morning sermons and will continue next week as we examine the closing statements of the Olivet Discourse.

We are not to look at these psalms as a message only for the millennium, however. Our job today is to show that Jesus Christ is our God, and only by believing in Him can any people be blessed. If we fail to do this, we are also in danger of being set aside. Without obedience to our duty, we will not be counted among the faithful redeemed. How have we been busy to proclaim the gospel message? Who have you spoken to at work or school or in any place where you regularly encounter the lost? Each person is a potential believer, but they will never be so until they hear the gospel. If we proclaim salvation, God will bless us and cause His face to shine upon us. Only then will the world be saved.

Pastor V. Mark Smith

A Providential Preaching Plan

Berean Baptist on November 7, 2016

 

Psalm 66

On many occasions, I am simply amazed at the numbers of times our congregational readings will interface with the subjects of Sunday morning sermons. Rarely do I choose a reading that purposely corresponds, since we are reading through the psalms each week taking them in order. I find the same coincidences (?) when teaching the Fundamentals Class on Wednesday evenings. I find myself constantly telling the class I do not want to divulge Sunday morning material, but we often tread the same ground without purposely arranging it. I would relegate this to mere coincidence if I did not believe the Holy Spirit is in charge of the entire ministry of Berean. If you wonder who plans these services—God does!

Some years ago, I was speaking with another pastor who was surprised our preaching schedule is planned more than one week at a time. He said he preferred to be “fresh” so the Spirit could speak immediately to the needs at the moment. I would maintain that a God who is omniscient and who chose us and planned our salvation before the foundation of the world is well capable of seeing a month or two in advance. He knows this congregation’s needs and the timing of them without consulting with me!

This be as it may, Psalm 66 crosses over into today’s sermon territory, because I believe it speaks of the praise that will be offered in the millennial kingdom. Our subject for today’s message is the reasons we believe there will be an actual Messianic kingdom on the earth. It delves into the citizens of the kingdom and the criteria of judgment for their permission to enter.

As I read this Psalm, I was reminded of Isaiah 53. This great chapter is perhaps the most well-known in the Old Testament, aside from Psalm 23, and is about redeemed Israel in the millennium as they contemplate the great crime of crucifying Christ in the first advent. They did not realize the wounds they inflicted were for their own salvation. Having come to this understanding and having trusted Him as their only redeemer, they can only reflect with amazement at His willingness to suffer so much for them when they shamefully despised Him and put Him to grief.

Psalm 66 steps beyond this as now they think back to the former days when God showed His mercy to Israel. He performed countless miracles on their behalf to ensure their survival. How sweet are the words of verse 9: “Which holdeth our soul in life, and suffereth not our feet to be moved.” How different will Israel’s attitude be towards the Messiah when He brings them through the Tribulation and gives them the glorious kingdom promised to their father David: “For thou hast confirmed to thyself thy people Israel to be a people unto thee for ever: and thou, LORD, art become their God.” (2 Samuel 7:24)  In the first advent, He was not their God: “But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us.” (Luke 19:14)  It will be different in the kingdom age when they look on the one they pierced and recognize Him as Messiah King (Zech. 12:10).

It blesses the heart of the preacher when the Holy Spirit so skillfully blends the worship with appropriate songs, readings, and sermons. Praise God He controls the service, and we worship according to His plan, not ours. Give all the glory to Him!

Pastor V. Mark Smith