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I want to invite you this morning to Psalm 145 is where we’re going to be at together today. Psalm 145. As we get to the end of our series on the Psalms for the summer, we’re going to kick off here in two weeks in the book of Thessalonians. And then when the school year starts, will be in the book of Acts together. But we’re going to conclude today in our summer series on the Book of Psalms in Psalm 145. I don’t know if you’ve if you’ve captured this as we’ve gone through our Psalms together, I have I have started the Psalms off with what I would say is more of a negative psalm. And then the following week I do more of a positive psalm. So that’s the way last week we looked at a very heavy psalm that is more of a negative psalm, and it ended in a very with a very negative verse. This week we’re going to go more positive. That’s what we’re going to be is a more positive psalm. And so I really try to temper this for, for no matter how you are encouraged and spurred on in the faith, sometimes as people, we like to look at a problem in order to seek a solution. So we kind of like we want to be motivated, you know, to to make things different. So we start in the negative and want to move to the positive. And some of us just prefer to never say anything negative.
We just. We just want to live in the positive. Just keep encouraging me and inspiring me. And I want you to know we’re going to look at more of a positive Psalm today. But I’m actually going to start from the negative. Okay. So so no matter where where you are in this, in your faith journey, whatever motivates you, you’re going to get both both of those today. Because this this particular psalm, Psalm one 145 is thinking about not only the current generation, but future generations to come, spurring them on the faith and the impact that it can make and in the world around us for generations to come. Like, what does God have for us? And how can we see what God has for us be passed on to that next generation? I mean, truth be told, that’s why all of us are here. As as Jesus built his church for a purpose. There were saints that have gone on before us who are faithful to their own relationship with the Lord. That made some sort of impact in our own life to to lead us to the place that we’re in, that we can hand the torch off to the next generation, which should be important for all of us to think about, because we’re always one generation away from the gospel, dying within our country, our community. And so thinking about how my own relationship with God impacts generations around me and the people around me is important.
And this Psalm is one that reflects on that from more of a positive light. But in in relationship to that, it reminded me as I was I was going through this Psalm. It reminded me of of something I have known about for a while. From, from comments that if you remember the legend Paul Harvey made in the late 90s. He he read in 1996, you know, the rest of the story. He read something called if I Were the Devil. And this, this, the reading that he did on the radio in 1996 was actually a, a repeating of something that he read in 1965. Right. I’m old enough to remember 1996. I am not old enough to remember 1965, but but it has been known as somewhat of an interesting reading that Paul Harvey did online, because it deals with where he sees the direction of America going and thinking and wanting to wake us up in the negative trajectory. He sees it in order for us to correct course. So what he writes is more from the negative side. We’ll look at Psalm 145, dealing more from the positive side in a minute. But I want you to, as I get ready to read this. Remember he said this in 1965. So this is we’re dealing with something 60 years ago. And it’s interesting how he sees the course of history playing itself out.
Now I will tell you everything I’m going to read. I don’t necessarily agree with every component of what he says, because I think there’s some parts of it that tends on the or flirt with the idea of legalism, which I am not a fan of. Right. But but what he says is, I think, important for just any generation to think of. And I hope for all of us that we have the kind of mind that we’re willing to listen to people, even if we disagree with them. I mean, it’s okay to disagree with people when you think about the wisdom of past generations. I think with every generation, we kind of we kind of sometimes think we finally got it figured out, and we looked back at previous generations and think, you know, I’m glad we finally figured it out today. But I want you to know, in 60 years from now, people are going to look back at you and be like, man, those guys, right? Like, that’s the tendency of every generation is to finally think that they’re the ones that have that have arrived. And so there should be this humility in our hearts to want to learn what, what, what do what do our past generations think? What are what are their concerns? What are their hopes for our future? Paul Harvey’s been dead now, I think, for at least 15 years. But this is what he said in 1965.
He said, if I were the devil, if I were the prince of darkness, if I wanted to engulf the whole world in darkness, and I’d have a third of its real estate and 4/5 of its population, but I wouldn’t be happy until I had seized the ripest apple on the tree. So I’d set out, however necessary, to take over the United States. I’d subvert the churches first. I’d begin with a campaign of whispers with the wisdom of a serpent. I would whisper to you as I whisper to Eve, do as you please. To the young I would whisper that the Bible is a myth. I would convince them that man created God instead of the other way around. I would confide that what’s what’s bad is good, and what’s good is square. And the old I would teach to pray after me. Our father which art in Washington. And then I’d get organized and educate authors and how to make Lord literature exciting so that anything else would appear full or, excuse me, appear dull and uninteresting. I threaten TV with dirtier movies and vice versa. I’d peddle narcotics to whom I could. I’d sell alcohol to ladies and gentlemen of distinction. I’d tranquilize the rest with pills. If I were the devil. I’d soon have families at war with themselves. At churches at war with themselves and nations at war with themselves, until each in its turn had consumed, and with promises of higher ratings.
I’d. I’d give Mesmerizing media. Fanning the Flames and if I Were the Devil, I would encourage schools to refine young intellectuals but neglect to discipline emotions. Just let those run wild. Until before you knew it, I’d have to have drug sniffing dogs and metal detectors at every schoolhouse door. Within a decade, I’d have prisons overflowing. I’d have judges promoting pornography, and soon I could evict God from the courthouse, then from the schoolhouse, and then from the houses of Congress and in his own churches. I would substitute psychology for religion and deify science. I would lure priests and pastors into misusing boys and girls and church money. And if I were the devil, I’d make the symbol of Easter an egg and the symbol of Christmas a bottle. If I were the devil, I would take from those who have, and give to those who want. Until I have killed the incentive of the ambitious. What will you bet I could get whole states to promote gambling as a way to get rich. I would caution against extremes and hard work and patriotism and moral conduct. I would convince the young that marriage is old fashioned fashion, that swinging is fun, that what you see on TV is the way to be. And thus I could undress you in public and I could lure you into bed with diseases for which there is no cure. In other words, if I were the devil, I’d just keep right on doing what I’m already doing.
That’s a little shocking and telling. Even from the 1960s, some of the concerns that Paul Harvey had for us as a country and maybe even just for us as as individuals. But I want us to know that when we gather as a church, our our desire and goal is not to just avoid the negative or run away from the bad, but to understand what Jesus wants to do in us and through us is far more beautiful, and a path with him is far more significant than just walking away from things that can be harmful. And as you look at the idea of of what Paul Harvey is saying, I want us to consider now the pages of Scripture and what David is declaring to us, because David is really saying to us the other side of the coin from the positive perspective, as he considers the future generations and the impact that God can do in his own life for the for the benefit of those around him. When you look at Psalm 145, I want you to know this is a psalm that’s 3000 years old, but the the truth of what’s contained in it still, still ring true for us today. In fact, that’s the case for all of Scripture. That truth is timeless. But this particular psalm has been so significant throughout history that the Jewish people have especially included it in their regular daily liturgy.
And what I mean that there’s even a sections of the Talmud that promote this psalm in such a way that it says that anyone that is considered a faithful Jew should read this psalm no less than three times a day. And when you do, there is a special blessing that comes along with it. Now, I want you to know that that’s the way of traditionalism. Scripture doesn’t say. You know, read this one psalm and and incentivizes you with, you know, certain things that you might want. Right. But but rather it is speaking to the uniqueness and power of what this Psalm is and and living it out with our lives. When David’s perspective here is, is critical for for all of us. And when you look at the Psalms, this is the the last recorded Psalm that we have that King David wrote. Now, I don’t mean that chronologically. Like when you read the Psalms, it’s important to know that the order of these Psalms are placed for us are not necessarily the order that they were written in, but rather, as you read through the Psalms, you find that Psalm 145 is the last psalm that’s attributed to King David. And so here’s a psalm some 3000 years old, the the truth of it still ringing, ringing for us today. And the idea of what we want to focus on in this chapter is finding a brighter future, a call to generational worship.
To think about the whole scope of my own relationship with the Lord, and how what God is doing in me is, is intended to not only impact me, but those around me for generations to come. And so what does that look like for for you and for me to step into it? Let me let me give you point number one in your notes, and we’ll read this together. Number one is this pass on the praise. Fuel faith for the next generation. Pass on the praise. Fuel faith for the next generation. This is something I certainly love as a pastor at Alpine Bible Church. Is is the fact that we are a multigenerational church, and I often refer to our classics group. I don’t know if all of you have ever heard me say this, but I just call you guys the backbone of our church, right? Because I think you guys set the tone for for what we’re moving towards as as a congregation of God’s people, what God has for us. But at the same time, if you might consider yourself an older generation or. Or maybe a wiser generation or whatever you want, whatever terminology you want to put on that to also see how critical it is to take what Jesus has done in you and invested in the next generation and future generations to come. Because what we want to see here is something that perpetuates with all people that come through our doors throughout the years of Alpine Bible Church’s existence.
And so in order to do that, we’ve got to begin with the, the, the mentality of passing on the praise to to fuel that faith for, for future generations. And when David starts off this Psalm, he wants you to know that that begins in you, to understand the critical ness of what God wants to do in this church by seeing the singularity of my own personal relationship in Jesus. He says, I will extoll you, my God and King, and bless your name forever and ever. Every day I will bless you and praise your name forever and ever. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable. And what David is essentially saying to us is our effectiveness. For God starts with praise in my own life. Seeing the significance of who Christ is and not straying from that. And so David is starting off. He’s going to move into this thinking generationally and corporately as God’s people. But he says, for all of us, it starts in the ownership of my own faith journey in the Lord. And so maybe we should just stop and ask, how is your own faith journey in the Lord? Because I just want to encourage you and say it is. It is invaluable that we see the significance of gathering as God’s people corporately. Right. And I’m thankful that you’re here this morning.
In fact, sometimes when you think about the things that we experience here at church and we lift our voices and praise to God, and and we pray before the Lord and, and we open up his word. And we we listen to a message from from the Lord. And all those things are important. But can I tell you technology is such today that you can also do that anywhere? I mean, you can turn on your radio and lift your voice and worship to the Lord and and songs of praise and and you can study God’s Word outside of something. You can even listen to a sermon. May I hope tomorrow morning, like today, is important in your own faith journey. I hope tomorrow morning you can appreciate the gift that it is that God wants to communicate to you. And he’s he’s he’s demonstrated that in such a way. He’s given you his word that you can know him and walk with him, that this is not just a Sunday activity that you do, but you learn the rhythms of trying to enjoy that every day that God wants to be known in your life and appreciating the richness of who he is. But can I tell you one thing that you cannot fabricate through technology is the importance of fellowship, the intimacy of community in Jesus, and how God wants to navigate through us together. Now that amplifies the importance of God’s Word, because as we look at a message here, we are looking at this collectively, which aligns our hearts.
And sometimes as a pastor, when I say things like I give an announcement or something, I in my mind think, man, how many more times I’m going to have to repeat that? So everybody hears that, right? Because I know sometimes that I can say things and I can be in so many different gatherings saying things that there still could be members of our church not there. I’m like, man, I gotta I have to repeat this so many times just just to get us all on the same page, right? But when we’re together collectively, hearing God’s Word collectively, it’s shaping us in a corporate identity to which is which is critical, right? So, so the idea of fellowship, when you think about your own personal relationship with Jesus, it is important. But but don’t let it. Don’t let it isolate for from the idea of of how that becomes meaningful to, to corporate identity in Christ. Right. Or community identity in Christ. Collective identity in Christ. I don’t like the word corporate. Let’s, let’s let’s say community. Right. Community identity in Christ. Like what God wants to do in us together. It’s far more powerful, right? And so when we’re walking united, what Jesus can do in that community is, is a gift. And so gathering as God’s people and encouraging one another is vital to the health of the church, both now and for future generations.
But but it starts in this place of understanding, the intimacy of my own relationship in him. Now, sometimes we might ask ourselves, well, how do I know? How do I know? My relationship with the Lord is healthy, right? Like, we may be in that spot where we might think, but we’re not sure. And can I just tell you maybe one component, David, is identifying here that we could use to kind of go back and evaluate my own life. It’s the idea of thankfulness and praise. It’s the heart of thankfulness and praise. When you think about your own week before the Lord, how much did you stop and just give thanks and praise? It doesn’t necessarily mean you have to be thankful for everything that you go through in life, because sometimes we go through hard things, but there is a place to be thankful in those things. And David is starting off at this, this place of of praising God for his his, his greatness. But then in that place, he then leads in verse 4 to 7 to help us quickly realize how that should connect for us, like what that should build, not just for me, but but when I’m walking with the Lord and you’re walking with the Lord to understand what that looks like and Jesus community together. Because what God wants to do through our lives is far more important, and we need each other to do that.
You think of the way that God has blessed your life and gifted your life the fruits of the spirit. I mean, those things are only displayed in community. Love. Joy. Peace. Patience. Kindness. You have to have people around you to to demonstrate that. And and who better to have the way that God is transforming your life? Who better to have around you to demonstrate that than than his own people that desire to live on mission in the same way what God has called us for. And so in verse four he goes, one generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts on the glorious splendor of your majesty and on your wondrous works I will meditate. They shall speak of the mighty of your awesome deeds, and I will declare your greatness. They shall pour forth the fame of your abundant goodness, and shall sing aloud of your righteousness. I mean, you see David vacillating in this section, right? He’s talking about his own faith journey, continuing to meditate on this. Don’t to focus on this. And I’ll deal with that phrase, mighty act in just a moment. But but I want you to see how David also has in mind the greater picture. I mean, this is something we constantly want to press into as a church. Remind ourselves of the reason God created this church is, is and not just this local church, but the church broadly is for a greater purpose than ourselves.
Right? But that that discovery living in that only begins as we walk with him. And so here he is. He’s vacillating between his own personal journey and therefore stretching that beyond himself, beyond his walls, to to those around him, making a generational impact and how critical that is to make a meaningful difference in this world. You know, when I, when I look at this idea of David wanting to pass on to the next generation for, for me, I think about our church for sure. But, but but even I become a little bit more refined and thinking about, first off, in my own home. You know, I think about my own kids. And I think, man, just to see what what God can do passed on to the next generation. You know, as a parent, sometimes you think about maybe your own children there. There can be this sense of worry for their future. You know, you think about what Paul Harvey said in the beginning, and maybe you just look at the trajectory of life through a negative lens. You think, oh my gosh, you just want to be there for your kids every step of the way. Like in each encounter, they have to to be that person that’s able to impart wisdom for them as they journey on in life. And as a parent, maybe that that, that want to kind of helicopter and you don’t know if you, you know, how do you do that the right way and, and then you even hope as a parent, like, you know, sometimes your kids don’t always want to listen to what you have to say.
So you want to be able to have that voice in their life. And so you have this concern, right? Just wanting to be there. But but can I can I tell you reality as we all recognize that we can’t always be there for everything. And so as a parent in that moment, like you can come to a place of despair, oh my gosh, my poor kids. But can I tell you what the greater gift that you can give them in all things is the one that you know will be there with them and everything, and that’s the Lord, and more than be there to try to help them solve every problem. If you can just help them learn to walk with Jesus, and Jesus promises to be with them through everything, and so that that relationship with Christ becomes critical. Now, let me just tell you, that’s from a negative perspective, right? My kids are going to go through bad things, and I don’t want them to, you know, just to be lost in the midst of that, but just to have wisdom to navigate that and and for them to see Jesus. But how do they walk with Jesus? That’s important.
Right? But but can I tell you that that God doesn’t call us to live on the defense. I mean, he said, I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail. And so what he’s saying is he’s painting a far more picture, far greater picture than just trying to respond to every problem. He’s saying when the next generation grabs Ahold of the greatness of who Christ is, the impact that they make for the Lord is is unstoppable, right? The movement of Jesus through those people collectively as they work with him. God can do an incredible thing. And this is what he’s saying about the next generation, that David has seen this in his life and and he wants to see the next generation thriving in the richness of who Christ is. So not only does it amplify the importance of their relationship in Jesus for their own faith journey because of difficult days that’ll come, but, but, but to move forward in a powerful way and the richness of who Christ is to make a difference in this world. And so this whole journey begins. And and David expressing his own relationship to the Lord. And now he’s spurring on these next generations. And then he comes to this, this phrase, this idea of mighty acts. Now, this this particular phrase is a common vernacular in the Old Testament. It doesn’t always necessarily come across with the words mighty acts, but I’m going to show you some similar ideas that are expressed.
And the reason David is using this word is because he’s using this as a core identity word for for a community, you know, or a core memory word. I should say it like that for for a community. If you’re familiar with the idea of core memories, you think in terms of parenting you want to go with your children and, you know, help them develop those positive core memories in life. And hopefully they forget when you don’t always do it the greatest of ways, right? Like, sometimes you mess up like, oh, that’ll make a core memory out of that, right? Like, there’s certain things in your life when you think back to, in your own life that that pinnacle moments that really shaped and developed who you are today. You know, we don’t always remember every detail of our life. And I don’t know that we necessarily should, but you can certainly look back and say, yeah, these are these were profound moments in my life. Good or bad, that really shaped who I am. And this is what David is doing with this phrase, mighty acts. He’s saying, look, I want this generation to continue to be shaped for what is, what is defined our community. And this idea of mighty acts is is a phrase that’s expressing what God has done for the Jewish people. If you remember in the Old Testament, there was this this time period in the book of Exodus, where Israel found themselves as slaves for hundreds of years.
And in this place of slavery, when they had no power to rescue themselves, God freed them from a place of slavery and brought them into a place of promise in relationship with him. And so for Israel, this became their identity. When they had they had no ability to free themselves, that God would step in, in his mercy and love, and rescue them and call them his own, and give them this, this place of promise and blessing in relationship to him. In fact, when you look throughout the Old Testament, you’ll see this, this phrase and mention or the idea of it in different ways in Deuteronomy 26 verse eight, and the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with great deeds of terror, and with signs and wonders. So you see this the idea of great deeds or mighty acts. It’s that event of Exodus. And again Exodus seven, verse four, he says, Pharaoh will not listen to you. Then I will lay my hand of Egypt and bring my hosts, my people, the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt, by great acts of judgment. Again, a similar phrase, but it’s this defining moment that helped shape who we are. And this is what God is saying to us that provokes the, the praise of, of of us as, as his people is to understand what it means to truly be free in our identity with the Lord and not just live on the defensive, but rather become conquerors in Christ.
To see a difference made in the life around us because of what God has done for us. I mean, when you think about the image of this, this, this thought, this idea of this exodus. This is a theme that’s played throughout all the Bible. I mean, even when you go back to the beginning of Genesis and you understand that book of the Bible was written to people who found themselves as slaves and all the ways that could warp your perspective of who you are, your identity, that your worth is simply based on what you do. And then you read the book of Genesis and you realize that from the very beginning, God begins to reshape that identity by calling them in the image of God. And God is helping them begin to understand that their worth is not based on what they do. Their worth is given to them intrinsically because of who God is. And this now identity of moving from this place of despair, brokenness, and slaved is now being expressed as this core memory of shaping who they are and the motivation for what they do in this world. Finding a better future. This call to generational worship is one pass on the praise. Fuel the faith for the next generation Incineration so that we can get to number two.
Make it personal. Live as a saint, not as a spectator. Make it personal. Live as a saint, not as a spectator. And this is what David’s doing. And he’s starting the psalm describing what God’s happened to him. He’s. He’s reminding them of the identity they have because of the Lord, because he wants that next generation to do that very thing, to make it personal. Live as a saint, not as a spectator. Now, I want you to know this morning. That is the call of everyone in this room to see your sainthood and perspective of who God is. And some of us might look at our life and be like, if I could be many things people could call me. But one thing they ain’t ever going to call me is a saint, right? We might think of our life that way, but. But I think it’s critical to understand a biblical perspective of what the Bible means when it refers to us in that regard. When you look in in Psalm 145 verse eight, God says this. The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love. The Lord is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made. Let me stop right there before I read this next verse, and I just want you to recognize how critical it is to have a healthy understanding who God is.
Understanding who God is helps you understand who you are and therefore leads you in this world. How you choose to conduct your life. And there are many people in life that have a very warped view of God. I don’t think anyone in this world has a perfect view of God, but it is important that we we move towards a healthy view of God. God, don’t don’t, don’t just let me embrace who I think you are. Don’t don’t let me embrace who other people tell me you are. Lord, let me receive who you say you are. And when you look throughout the Bible, there is a particular descriptor about God that I think is most critical for you to receive. And that is the verses that you’re reading here in verse eight and nine. And the reason I say that is because these, these verses aren’t made up by David, like David wasn’t inspired by by the Lord to be the inventor of these verses. What David is actually doing is quoting a phrase that was already found in the book of Exodus, chapter 34, verse five and six. And that phrase in Exodus 34, verse five and six that describes God to us has been considered by the writers of the Old New Testament to be such a critical understanding of God. That that this statement in Psalm verse eight and nine here that we’re reading is the most repeated phrase about God in all of Scripture.
It’s as if to say, if you’re going to let something take precedent in your life and your own understanding of God, you need to let this one be preeminent. Because when you understand God in this way? You understand the way that God is going to receive you as one who might turn to him, that God’s hope for you is to to have your heart, that he could change your life. And this identity of God is a very inviting identity, and it helps us be able to put the right foot forward in our own relationship with God, to know that he’s gracious and merciful, that his love is abounding, abounding. It doesn’t change. It’s steadfast that he’s slow to anger, because sometimes our our perspective of God is a very vengeful and vicious and wrathful God. And it’s true, there is a just side of the Lord that is important for us to know he is a just God. But when it comes to you and me and understand the reason for which we are created, and when we turn to the Lord, we need to know how God’s going to receive us. And so this, this particular identity is critical for us, because in verse ten he goes on and says this, all your work shall give thanks to you, O Lord, and all your saints shall bless you. And the idea of sainthood is very much wrapped up in what these verse eight and nine is described to us now when it comes to the sainthood.
There is a way that some Christians have learned sainthood related to tradition, church tradition. Right? But then there is a way in which sainthood is referenced in Scripture according to what the Bible says. And I want you to know, there are some things that we do in churches based on tradition that don’t always have a biblical basis. I’m not saying tradition is a bad thing. There’s always a place for tradition, but at some point tradition can even run contrary to the Bible. And it’s more important to follow the Bible than it is tradition. And when it comes to the idea of sainthood, it can be one of those things that we have learned more traditionally than biblically. So some of us might think, well, sainthood is what you become when you die. And it’s only if you’ve done really good things. And then somebody, somewhere that’s got some kind of power makes you a saint. And in fact, sometimes we we’ll refer to them as patron saints, and people might even, like, bow down to them and even pray to them like there’s can be some, some teaching that’s so reverent to sainthood that it becomes that. Now I have seen traditions that do that. And I want you to know there’s not necessarily a biblical basis for it, but just for funsies. I mean, I picked my favorite, like, if you want to know my favorite saint, it’s definitely Saint Nicholas, right? Because for obvious reasons, he is the giver of gifts.
So if you’re going to pick one Saint Nick, like, just give me what I want, right? But but when it comes to the idea of sainthood, one of one of the interesting things that I also find shocking about Saint Nick, if you ever study him Saint Nick is is considered the patron saint of pawnshops. It’s like, man, it started off so good for him. And they went really bad quick. Like to be the patron saint of pawn shops. I would haunt people like I really change who I am, right? Like, I don’t even know if you can do that, but. But when you think about the, the idea of of of pawn shops, like I think it’s important to to know, like if you ever look at a pawn shop, the icons of a pawn shop are three bags of gold. And the tradition for that actually comes from Saint Nick, who a story goes in his town, there were three young ladies that wanted to get married, couldn’t because they couldn’t afford the dowry. And so Saint Nick visited the family and just dropped off three bags of gold without making himself known. But the family knew where it came from. And so that became the image of pawn shops. But the idea of pawn shops really started with Franciscan monks for for families that were experiencing hardship as a way for them to get back on their feet.
Now, over time, the world grabbed Ahold of that, monetized it, and made what pawnshops are today. Which isn’t great, right? But it really started as a ministry within within the church and trying to help people in difficult positions. And so that’s why Saint Nick was picked as that patron saint. But either way, I want you to know, there’s there’s tradition and there’s what the Bible says. And when it comes to the idea of sainthood, here’s what the Bible says about you and me is if that we’re if we’re in Jesus, we’re all saints in Christ. Because the idea of sainthood carries in both the Old Testament and New Testament, that word is is chosen one or the set apart one. And so what it’s saying for us is that we have a different lens by which we look and view the world because of our relationship with Jesus, because we have a new identity in him. And this is critical for all of us, especially when we think about the future generation. There was a study done by by Barna and with impact 360 on generation Z and studying generation Z, they said only 4% of generation Z have a biblical worldview. And from a biblical worldview, what it is, it’s to believe that God’s Word is sufficient and truthful for what I need in matters of life.
And therefore, because of that, it creates for me the lens by which I view the world. It’s the lens by which I view God myself, those around me and the world I walk in, whether whether it’s economically, politically, educationally, it’s the lens by which I receive those things. And so it becomes critical for us to understand our identity and relationship with the Lord. And the idea of Saint is one of those words that helps you and me realize who I really am because of what Christ has done. Now, when we hear the word saint, I want you to see in Scripture, it’s repeated over and over again. And when you read the epistles like Romans one two, to all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints, first Corinthians one through the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus called to be saints, I want you to know the church of Corinth was the first church in the New Testament. And if they’re going to be called saints, nobody here has a problem with the idea of being called a saint. Right? But but here’s here’s what’s critical when it comes to sainthood. It’s to recognize that the reason I receive that position in Jesus is not because of me. It’s not because I’m here to impress God with who I am. It’s because my life has been impressed with the greatness of who he is.
It’s because of what he’s done for me. I get to receive the richness of of my own life being freed because of him. That’s why this understanding of who God is in verse eight and nine is so critical for us, because the position that he’s about to place on us in verse ten is to walk with the understanding. It’s not because of what I’ve done, but because of what Christ has done on my behalf. So let me let me give you point number three, because I need to move this a little more quickly. Number three is this stay on the path. Humbly trust God’s character. Stay on the path. Humbly trust God’s character. Because when we think of the term sane, I know many of us would be reluctant to say, man, I can never take that title. I can think of what what I’ve done and can I tell you, when you think about that kind of a title and what you’ve done, your eyes are already on the wrong thing because it’s not about what you’ve done. It’s about what he’s done. In fact, verse 14, this is what David says the Lord upholds all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down. The eyes of all look to you and give you their. Them their food and due season. You open your hand. You satisfy the desires of every living thing. The Lord is righteous in all his ways and kind and all his works.
The Lord is near to all who call in him, to all who call on him. In truth, he fulfills the desires of those who fear him. He also hears their cry and saves them. The Lord preserves all who love them, but the wicked he will destroy. Here’s what it’s saying. Those that are closest to the Lord are the ones that are humble of heart, who surrender to him, who who realize that the greatness they receive is not achieved in their own merit, but God’s merit on their behalf. In fact, as as we looked at the idea of the core memory for the Jews and being being rescued from slavery in Egypt, I want you to know that that was just simply a picture of the greater rescue that God had in mind for all of us. Because as you read throughout the rest of the Bible, you begin to realize that that story of redemption from slavery in Egypt to promises of the Lord was a greater illustration of what all of us could receive in Jesus. Not because we’re great, but because he is. In fact, when you read throughout the rest of the New Testament, that’s what you discover is the image of that core memory for the Jews. And that redemption story becomes the image for the church and what we receive because of what Christ has done, that the greater slavery that we’re all a part of in our own sin we’ve been rescued from because of Jesus.
In Romans six he says, like this. Verse six, we know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin. Or for time’s sake, skip down to Galatians five for freedom. Christ has set us free. Stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. I mean, it’s the same picture of Israel and slavery in Egypt, but now he’s got a greater picture of of of all the people of the world. And we’re we’re captivated and we’re, we’re we’re made captive to sin and the consequence it can bring. But Jesus came on the the greatest deliverance journey to give his life for you and for me, that we could find freedom in him. The idea of sainthood is not because of what I’ve done, or because of what you’ve done in proving anything to God, but rather because of what he’s done for you and for me. And so for us. It brings us this place of of humility for sure, because we recognize the greatness of who God is. But at the same time, it lifts our voices in praise. Let me give you this, this last point. It’s this join the chorus.
Worship missionary. Join the chorus worship missionary. It’s to say that that the most obvious response within our souls should be one of rejoicing, based on this identity that we have as this community collectively to sing his praises forever. In verse 21, this is what David says My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord, and let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever. And so this is this is David reflecting what we have. We truly have the uniqueness of what God has done in us because of what he’s done for us. This is the response that we would worship. There’s a book that John Piper wrote called Let the Nations Be Glad, and he says this. It’s a missions minded book, the Church Compelled to Live on Mission. He says that that missions exist because worship does not. Meaning we’re all created to be worship beings, to connect to our God, to find our identity in him. But because we don’t do that, we walk contrary to that. God has created the idea of mission. God’s people live on mission that others may have the opportunity to worship, and in so doing that really mission becomes a way of worshiping the Lord. And so we think, we think in terms of joining the chorus, we as God’s people recognize the the critical place of not only our own relationship, but but how that relationship Blossoms and spurs future generations. For the glory of God begins with us and it passes beyond us.
How close with this and be done as time is running short here. But there’s a story from the second century church in the year about 180 A.D., where there was a group of of Christians in a town called silly that were it’s a silly town. It is a town called Scilly. And what is in modern day Tunisia, and in this particular area of the world, it was illegal to be a Christian, and there were a half a dozen Christians that were arrested in this town, and they were brought to Carthage, which you see pictured in the image above. And they were brought to Carthage, and they were brought before the proconsul under Roman authority. And they were told to renounce their faith or face the consequences and and declare that Jesus isn’t Lord, but rather Caesar is. And the Christians that were drugged to Carthage before the proconsul refused. And so, wanting to give them another opportunity, they threw them back in the dungeons, and 30 days later brought them back out and said, renounce your faith in Christ. And once again, the Christians refused, of which the Roman leaders at the time looked at them and said, if you do not renounce your faith in Christ, we will execute you. I was going to show you the pictures that have been drawn in history throughout that, but the really gory. So I decided to just go with this one instead.
But the Christian said, Praise God, today we become his martyrs and they met the end of their life. Guys, can I tell you on the backbone of the faithfulness of those believers in Northern Africa, that it became the tip of the spear for the power of the Christian movement as it led into the second, third, fourth generation, or centuries of Christianity. And if you study the the church and the Roman Empire, eventually Rome fell and Christians fled from Rome and they moved to North Africa. And on the backdrop of these faithful saints, of which many. We don’t even know their name gave way to to leaders like an individual named Tertullian or Cyprian or even Augustine. They all came out of North Africa. How did that happen? There was a group of people in Jesus who found their core memory, their core identity in who Christ was, and they would not go into the night silent over the richness that they had in Jesus. And because of that, God not only made an impact in their life, but for generations to come. Now comes a place for our opportunity. Psalm 145 reminds us of the uniqueness and the importance of the praise of your own. Walk with Jesus, not just as an individual, but as a church collectively found in him.