SUNNY THOUGHTS FROM SUNSET by Rev. Vance Drum 1-19
We at Sunset praised the Lord on Sunday to witness the baptisms of brothers Trevor Yates and Jared Hanson. The young men had been discipled by Jerry Hinson, and then were baptized by the Sunset pastor, with family and Sunset friends in attendance. May Trevor and Jared be blessed with a long life of devoted service to their loving Lord and Savior Jesus.
On Sunday we continued our series, “Jesus Our Shepherd King: Finding Peace in an Age of Anxiety,” with a message, “What Can the Righteous Do?” The text was from Psalm 11:3: “When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?”
The pastor made three points: (1) The Devil’s Sand; (2) The Believer’s Question; (3) The Psalmist’s Reply.
(1) The Devil’s Sand. V2: “The wicked bend their bows; they set their arrows against the strings to shoot from the shadows at the upright in heart.”
The devil kicks up sand. He doesn’t like losing souls to King Jesus.
So the devil will try to distract us from our mission to honor God, he’ll tempt us with our favorite sins, and he’ll try to discourage us from persevering in our Christian walk.
We shouldn’t be surprised when the devil does this. It’s his job.
We do our job by resisting him, standing firm in our faith in Jesus. And we resist him by pushing back on the devil’s territory by rescuing others who are under the evil one’s domination of their lives. It happens when we share the Good News of God’s love for all, and that Christ died for our sins and rose again.
(2) The Believer’s Question. Sometimes God’s people may wonder—when we see the devastation of so many in the world—what to do? V3: “When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?”
What did the psalmist mean by “the foundations being destroyed”? A cracked or destroyed foundation is not a pretty picture. In our society our frequent murders and other assaultive violence—attacks on life—is evidence of our foundations being destroyed.
Another massive foundation crack is the destruction of abortion—which stops a beating heart—nearly 60 million times since the Supreme Court in its wisdom—not God’s—said it’s ok to dispose of your preborn child—44 years ago this week.
Another huge crack: God’s design for Adam in creation was that a woman—our mother Eve—was designed to relate to the man, but the Supreme Court in its wisdom—not God’s —says it’s ok for two men, or two women, to marry. It is a life-denying dead end. They can try to have a relationship, but no child will be born, and Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed because of this grievous sin.
Now in 2017 we have great confusion with people not knowing what gender they are. God made us male and female. The delivery room doctor knew, but many today are confused about whether they’re male or female. It is a shaky foundation based on human—not God’s—wisdom.
But Jesus takes away our violence and our confusion, giving us peace, and a clear picture of God’s blessed will for our lives.
(3) The Psalmist’s Reply. Sometimes we fret because the wicked seem to get away with their wickedness. But v4 says: “The Lord is in his holy temple.” The Lord is holy, and He makes a distinction between right and wrong.
“The Lord is on his heavenly throne.” Jesus is on the throne, and he will have the last word—on judgment day and in this life as well.
V4: “The Lord observes the sons of men.” Relax: God sees all, and He will act. Do not fret.
V5: “The Lord examines the righteous, but the wicked and those who love violence his soul hates.” God watches over his people to reward them, but the unrepentant wicked will not be blessed.
Our Music Minister Jerry Hinson sang a beautiful special on Sunday, “I’ve Never Been Out of His Care.” Thank you Jerry.
“The Lord will not reject his people; he will never forsake his inheritance.” [Psalm 94:14]
Know that the Lord will never forsake his people—our prayer for you from your friends at Sunset Christian Church.