IBC Singles Retreat - May 2014.
Speaker for Retreat: Wayne Hu. Psalms 23.
George’s Friday Night Message.
Colossians 3:12 So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. 14 Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. 15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.
v.12 The action that God took: He chose us.
“elect”: It was a deeply personal choice.
“holy”: Set apart.
The action that we take: put on...
“tender mercies”: don’t give up praying for unsaved friends/family; remember that you were likewise un-save-able.
“kindness”: the kindness that leads to repentance
“humility”: deep sense of lowness that is opposite of pride.
“meekness”: aka gentleness; controlling our reactions when others wrong us.
v.13 “bearing with one another”: enduring with one another because we share in Christ’s blood.
“forgiving”: you are never more like Christ than when you forgive.
J.Adams is the founder of Biblical Counseling.
Forgive first and the feelings of forgiveness (fruit of the spirit, Galatians) will come afterwards.
Forgiveness is a choice.
After forgiving: 1) Don’t bring it up to the person. 2) Don’t discuss it with others. 3) Don’t dwell on it.
God was enthusiastic to forgive us. We should enthusiastically forgive others.
The action God exemplified: Christ forgave you.
v.14 The action you exemplify: put on love.
So, What is the problem of the IBC Singles’ Group?
- Organization... Lack of.
- Identity... People don’t necessarily identify with the singles group.
- Cohesion [Pink Elephant of dating tension; girls and guys keep distance.]
- Worship... This affects worship.
George’s Statement (I couldn’t copy it down verbatim): Living in Reverential fear of God, loving through an accurate understanding of the Scripture.
Ecclesiastes 12:13 The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person.
Message #2.
Pastor Wayne Hu.
Psalms 23 is by David; a recounted testimony of God’s hand in his life.
The words “Lord” and “Shepherd” don’t normally go together.
“God”: Elohim, was God’s formal name.
“LORD”: God’s personal name. YHWH.
In Psalms 23, the Lord’s personal name is used.
Usually the job of shepherd was forced on the youngest son. David was the youngest and therefore commanded to watch the flocks.
Spurgeon: The Lord is my Shepherd? What is this? That God would allow Himself to be low so that He might show His love for us.
Psalms 23 is the first time that this analogy of “Shepherd” is used for the Lord.
John 10:11-18. 11 “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. 12 He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 He flees because he is a hired hand and is not concerned about the sheep.14 I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me, 15 even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd. 17 For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it again. 18 No one has taken it away from Me, but Ilay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father.”
http://www.enduringword.com/commentaries/19023.htm
David felt that he needed a shepherd. The heart of this Psalm doesn’t connect with the self-sufficient. But those who acutely sense their need - the poor in spirit Jesus described in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:2) - find great comfort in the idea that God can be a shepherd to them in a personal sense.
Spurgeon said that before a man can truly say, “the Lord is my shepherd” he must first feel himself to be a sheep by nature, “for he cannot know that God is his Shepherd unless he feels in himself that he has the nature of a sheep.” He must relate to a sheep in its foolishness, its dependency, and in the warped nature of its will.
Analogy of Cockroaches. We are like cockroaches, and Christ chose to die for us. We are the creation.
Psalms 23 follows Psalms 22 (Messianic Psalm).
Shepherds are not supposed to die for their sheep. Yet our Savior chose the nails. He chose to die.
Isaiah 53:4-7
Surely our griefs He Himself bore,
And our sorrows He carried;
Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken,
Smitten of God, and afflicted.
And our sorrows He carried;
Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken,
Smitten of God, and afflicted.
5 But He was pierced through for our transgressions,
He was crushed for our iniquities;
The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him,
And by His scourging we are healed.
He was crushed for our iniquities;
The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him,
And by His scourging we are healed.
6 All of us like sheep have gone astray,
Each of us has turned to his own way;
But the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all
To fall on Him.
Each of us has turned to his own way;
But the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all
To fall on Him.
7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted,
Yet He did not open His mouth;
Like a lamb that is led to slaughter,
And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers,
So He did not open His mouth.
Yet He did not open His mouth;
Like a lamb that is led to slaughter,
And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers,
So He did not open His mouth.
“MY” is the sweetest word of the whole verse - Spurgeon.
A famous actor was an after dinner speaker at a big fund raising function; and apparently he was well known for his voice because when he stood up to speak, he invited his audience to choose a poem for him to recite. There was a long silence until an older preacher raised his hand and asked for Psalm 23.
The actor was slightly taken back, but agreed to read the Psalm provided the preacher recite it after him; which the old man reluctantly agreed to do. So the actor recited Psalm 23 and received a standing ovation.
Then the preacher recited the Psalm, and there wasn’t a dry eye in the house. Upon seeing this reaction from the crowd, the actor went over to the older preacher and said to the guests “Do you know the difference between his version and mine? I know the 23rd Psalm; but this man knows the Shepherd.”
Do you know the Shepherd?
Psalms 23 is for believers only. First embrace Psalms 22.
Message #3.
Pastor Wayne Hu.
We must understand the first 5 verses of this passage.
Psalms 23
The Lord is my shepherd,
I shall not want.
I shall not want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside quiet waters.
He leads me beside quiet waters.
3 He restores my soul;
He guides me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.
He guides me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I fear no evil, for You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
I fear no evil, for You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You have anointed my head with oil;
My cup overflows.
You have anointed my head with oil;
My cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life,
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
v.1 The Lord is my shepherd, “there is nothing I lack” or “how can I lack anything?”
v.2 This verse describes the rest we have in Christ.
Sheep normally move because they eat up the pastures.
“quiet waters”: where sheep can drink without being rushed.
Sheep worry about fear, friction, flies, and famine. But the shepherd brings trust, peace, deliverance, and pasture (for hunger). Our shepherd knows our needs. Are you resting and setting your gaze on Christ?
http://www.enduringword.com/commentaries/19023.htm
Philip Keller (in A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23) writes that sheep do not lie down easily, and will not unless four conditions are met. Because they are timid they will not lie down if they are afraid. Because they are social animals they will not lie down if there is friction among the sheep. If flies or parasites trouble them they will not lie down. Finally, if sheep are anxious about food or hungry they will not lie down. Rest comes because the shepherd has dealt with fear, friction, flies, and famine.
He leads me beside the still waters: The shepherd knows when the sheep needs green pastures, and knows when the sheep needs the still waters. The images are rich with the sense of comfort, care, and rest.
v.3 “He causes my soul to restore”
We are helpless like sheep and we need Christ to come and restore us. We can’t live independently from God’s word.
v.3 Believers in Christ don’t lack guidance.
“paths of righteousness” aka “right paths”. These are morally correct paths. The best paths.
God’s ultimate will is that you’d be Holy. (Book: Just Do Something.)
Not only do we need His word, we need His Spirit.
It’s all about God.
Genesis 1:1-2 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters.
- It’s all about God and we’re just blessed to be a part of His story.
- God is most glorified when we are most satisfied in Him. True joy comes from making much of God.
v.4 Things will not always go our way. We should expect valleys.
The greatest valleys in your life are YET to come.
v.4 The Psalmist changes to the “You” pronoun.
It is precisely when he enters into the Valley that the Psalmist cries to the Lord directly.
We can pray that others draw closer to God when they are in suffering.
We are more prone to talk “about” God when things are going well. But when in the valley, we actually talk to God. In the dark, we cling to God, in the light we cling to our comforts.
We see God more in suffering times. Yet God provides for us even now. Either just as much, or even more NOW.
The main point of this verse is NOT the Valley, but instead, it is the presence of God.
Psalms 56
Be gracious to me, O God, for man has trampled upon me;
Fighting all day long he oppresses me.
2 My foes have trampled upon me all day long,
For they are many who fight proudly against me.
3 When I am afraid,
I will put my trust in You.
4 In God, whose word I praise,
In God I have put my trust;
I shall not be afraid.
What can mere man do to me?
Even Satan is used for God’s glory.
If you focus on fears, they grow. If you focus on God,... Focus on the Attributes of God in trials, the more you will find yourself trusting Him.
The same shepherd is with us in pastures and in the valleys.
Questions asked to someone with Cancer.
- Can God do Something? (Yes)
- Did God do Something? (No, didn’t heal cancer.)
- What do you think that God wants us to do? (Glorify Him with the time I have left.) <--- This is what we can control.
Message #4.
Pastor Wayne Hu.
What Wayne has gleaned so far.
v.4 Intermingle our theology and our prayers.
v.5 the table: a feast.
v.5 “my head with oil”: olives are highly valued.
v.5 God’s abundant provision. “My cup overflows”. God is going over the top to serve us.
The Shepherd is coming alongside the sheep. Why would a good shepherd lead the sheep through v.4? A: So that the sheep can arrive at v.5
Count the Cost.
Who, in their right mind would choose to follow Christ? A: The person who realizes that following Christ is ultimate gain.
Is Christ YOUR Shepherd and your greatest desire now?
Else, you will not desire heaven.
Ways to Cultivate love for our Savior.
- Individual Prayer. If you want to get to know someone more, you must spend time with them.
- Motivations. Don’t do things for other people. Develop your own convictions.
- Apply the Word for yourself. Application is more than “stopping at 3rd base”, go for home plate. Apply!
- Dwell on Heaven.
- Go to the Cross. It is my sins hat put Christ on the cross.
