Sermon Text: Psalm 91:7–16
Speaker: Pastor Prabhudas Koshy
Date: 13th October 2024
Sermon Text: Psalm 91:7–16
Speaker: Pastor Prabhudas Koshy
Date: 13th October 2024
Genesis 1:1
1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
The Bible begins with the record of the beginning of the universe. What was before the beginning? God was there dwelling in the grandeur of eternity. “For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else” (Isaiah 45:18). God is the uncreated, underived, self-existing eternal Spirit who transcends time. The Bible teaches us repeatedly that God is eternal. Psalm 90:2 declares, “even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.” Isaiah 57:15 glorifies God as “the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity”. Various names of God in the Bible also attest to His eternal existence. He is the “God eternal” (Deuteronomy 33:27), the “everlasting king” (Jeremiah 10:10), “the King eternal” (1 Timothy 1:17).
The eternal God is the First Cause of all things. As Romans 11:36 says, “For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.” While asserting His glory as the Creator, God put forward to Job a rhetorical question: “Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding” (Job 38:4). Since God is the Creator, there was a time when the creation did not exist but God did. While exalting God as the Creator of all things, Psalm 102:25 proclaims, “Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands.”
This universe, with such superior style, arrangement and functionality, is the intelligent design of God, the Creator. Nothing had been formed by chance. The world around us bears witness to a great Designer or Creator. As Psalm 19:1 says, “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.” God created all things out of nothing by His great power and wisdom. As the Scriptures say, “He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion” (Jeremiah 10:12).
Scripture, which is God’s revelation, provides us with the true record of the origin of the universe. It is utter foolishness to seek to be wise above what is written in God’s Word. Every pious heart must acknowledge and worship God as the Creator. God must always have pre-eminence in our thoughts and pursuits.
Proverbs 15:29
29 The LORD is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous.
The main message of this verse is that when it comes to the efficacy of prayer, the spiritual and moral state of the praying man matters. Outward religious zeal will not suffice, for God cannot be pleased with a mere observance of religious ceremonies and activities. One’s spiritual and moral nature and conduct are essential for the LORD’s acceptance and blessing of one’s prayers.
The statement, “The LORD is far from the wicked” is certainly not a repudiation of His omnipresence or omniscience. Neither does it in any way suggest that the LORD is afraid of the wicked, and hence He stays far from them. Scripture abundantly proves that God’s presence is everywhere and He will certainly deal with the wicked. Proverbs 21:12 forewarns, “God overthroweth the wicked for their wickedness.”
The main thrust of the statement is that the LORD is most displeased with the wicked, and hence He will not commune with them nor show His favour when they pray. The “prayers” of the wicked, without sincere repentance and faith in God, will be in vain. The LORD has already said in this chapter that “The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD” (v. 8a), and that “The way of the wicked is an abomination unto the LORD” (v. 9a). Proverbs 21:27 cautions, “The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination: how much more, when he bringeth it with a wicked mind?” Proverbs 28:9 reiterates, “He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination” (cf. Psalm 66:18).
“But he heareth the prayer of the righteous.” The LORD delights to commune with those who have abandoned their wicked ways and drew nigh unto Him in faith. He will attend to their prayers and show His favour unto them. Earlier in this chapter, it was said that “the prayer of the upright is his delight” (v. 8b), and that “he loveth him that followeth after righteousness” (v. 9b).
The LORD comforts all who seek Him in righteousness, that He will not forsake them. He will hear their prayers and aid them in their need. As Psalm 34:15, 17 assures us, “The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry…. The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.”
Proverbs 15:26
26 The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the LORD: but the words of the pure are pleasant words.
Nothing is hidden to the LORD, not even our thoughts. Every thought of man is known to Him. The LORD searches our hearts and discerns our thoughts. The LORD said in Isaiah 66:18, “For I know their works and their thoughts”.
The gospel-writers corroborate this crystal-clear fact. Matthew wrote: “And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?” (Matthew 9:4); Mark recorded Jesus as saying: “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: all these evil things come from within, and defile the man” (Mark 7:21-23).
Every man, being totally depraved, has a corrupt mind that cherishes evil thoughts. The LORD said in Genesis 8:21, “for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth” (cf. Genesis 6:5). Ecclesiastes 7:20 declares, “For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.” Be that as it may, when people repent and turn to God for salvation, He says, “I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them” (Hebrews 10:16). When God saves people, He empowers them by His Word and His Spirit to be transformed by the renewing of their mind, that they may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God (cf. Romans 12:2; Ephesians 4:22-24).
But the wicked in their unregenerate state, having neither the Spirit nor the Word, continually take pleasure in their thoughts that are abominable to God. Even though the wicked may appear before men as charitable and generous, the LORD knows that their thoughts are continually evil. A person may feign to be a righteous and kind person, but God searches his thoughts and finds them to be abominable or detestable.
However, the LORD takes pleasure in the words of those who have trusted Him for their cleansing. Their words reflect their thoughts, which are humble, contrite, grateful and obedient before Him. So let this be our prayer: “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer” (Psalm 19:14).
Matthew 11:30
30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
Jesus calls unto Him all who “labour and are heavy laden”, that they may find rest for their souls (v. 28). But all those who come to Him must take His yoke upon themselves, and learn of Him (v. 29). He also assures them that He is meek and lowly in heart (v. 29), unlike other masters who are domineering and proud. Now, He further encourages all those who would come to Him, saying, “For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
The yoke that Christ requires us to take is unlike all other yokes that man has come to know. All other yokes are heavy, burdensome and grievous. The yoke of sin, the yoke of the world, the yoke of Satan, the yoke of self-righteousness, the yoke of human efforts, the yoke of human traditions and all such are galling, enslaving and crushing. They leave the spirit of man in unbearable frustration, anxiety and despair.
But Jesus’ yoke that we are commanded to bear “is easy”. The Greek adjective translated “easy” (chr?stós) denotes what is good and pleasant. All that He will instruct us to believe and do are morally and spiritually good, profitable and delightsome to our souls. As the apostle John said, “his commandments are not grievous” (1 John 5:3).
Jesus also said that the “burden” that is attached to His “yoke” is “light” – “my burden is light.” The doctrines, counsels and commandments of Jesus to which we need to yield ourselves, are not at all heavy but light. They would never lead us to a troubled or burdensome life. Following His Word is not a painful drudgery, but a great deliverance from everything that could burden our souls.
Just as He has promised earlier, all who willingly pursue His command will only find rest for their souls. All those who have come to Christ to find the salvation rest He has promised, can confidently yield themselves to His yoke of tutelage. Under His blessed tutelage, we will experience joy and peace that no one else could provide. Under His loving rule, the wretched fear and despair that had wrecked our souls shall be completely expelled!
The teachings of Christ, if taken to heart, will indeed restore our whole being. Christ’s authoritative counsels are not only good for the soul, they also greatly benefit our physical life when properly heeded. The obligations of the Gospel show us the path of a restful life in Christ.
Matthew 11:29
29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
The Lord Jesus has just invited all who “labour and are heavy laden” to come to Him so that He may bless them with rest. But now He tells them to “take my yoke”. A “yoke” is a wooden bar that is fastened over the neck of an animal and attached to the plough or a cart with heavy stuff that it ought to pull. It is often used to symbolise submission to authority of some kind. How would a yoke placed on the neck of those who are already “heavy laden” grant them rest?
Jesus immediately explained what he meant by “Take my yoke upon you”. He said, “learn of me”. It was a familiar Jewish saying that a pupil “took the yoke of the teacher” when he submitted himself to a teacher. The Jews of old would talk about the yoke of the law, the yoke of God, etc. It was a similar thought, namely the yoke of instruction, that Jesus wanted them to grasp. So He said to them, “learn of me”. In other words, Jesus wanted all those who come to Him for the rest that He has promised, to submit to His teaching. It is a “yoke” that implies obedience.
When we turn to Christ to receive salvation and rest from sins’ weariness and desperation, there must be a willingness to have Him take control of our lives. We must come to Jesus not only as our Saviour, but also as our Lord. The exhortation “learn of me” was basically a call to discipleship.
Everyone who genuinely comes to Christ must be willing and ready to be a disciple and, therefore, a learner and follower of Christ. To be a follower of Christ is to be committed to learn from Him. Christ is not a taskmaster like the Pharisees and rabbis of that time. Jesus assured all who would come to Him, saying, “I am meek and lowly in heart”. He is gentle and humble in heart. In Him, there is no unreasonable sternness or ruthless demands. He is willing to receive the poorest sinner. He is also ever ready to instruct and guide even the most ignorant.
None who sincerely comes to Christ shall be disappointed. He affirms, “ye shall find rest unto your souls.” The Lord Jesus leaves no room for doubt concerning the certainty of spiritual rest that He has promised to all those who learn of Him. Without Christ, our lives would be marred with futile labour, heavy loads and hopelessness. So, let us hurry to Christ and hesitate no more. Follow His voice and learn of His gracious words.
Matthew 11:28
28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Herein is a special invitation from the Lord Jesus Christ to those who “labour and are heavy laden”. The Greek word for “labour” (kopiao) suggests “working hard to the point of fatigue”. It is also a present active participle verb, which indicates that those involved are in the process of wearing themselves out with toil. The words “heavy laden” translate a present passive participle Greek verb (phortíz?), which means “being overloaded”. Together, the words “labour and are heavy laden” convey the idea of people’s weary search for relief from the crushing load of sin and guilt, together with all the problems of a sin-laden life. Many are frantically and exhaustingly wearing themselves out, trying to earn their own salvation and find lasting peace to their troubled souls.
Jesus kindly invites to Himself all who have worn themselves out to find relief for their sin-plagued lives. Recognising their utter inability to find rest for their souls, Jesus tells them that their salvation is not by their hard work but by coming to Him, the only Saviour and Restorer of their souls.
Have you been distressed and worn out by your inability to find joy and peace for yourselves? Have you been overwhelmed by your sins, foolishness, anxiety, fear? Jesus here tells you that you should no more “labour” to find rest, but to go to Him at once, acknowledging your utter inability to deliver your weary soul.
You should not remain obstinate and rebellious any longer. Do not wander from the merciful and gentle Saviour who calls out to you, “Come unto me”. Let not your pride and folly cause you to despise His gracious call any more. Let us bid adieu to our false confidence, vain pursuit of worldly glory, self-righteousness, self-justification, etc. Let us draw near to the most compassionate Lord who beckons us, so that we may be comforted and our souls find the rest that they desperately need.
Jesus promises the weary ones who would come to Him: “I will give you rest.” This is not an offer of a life of idleness or inactivity or leisure. Instead, it is the promise of divine peace and tranquillity that come through the application of His pardoning grace by His Holy Spirit, the Comforter. The spiritual rest that Jesus promises is the gift of salvation, with all its accompanying blessings that restore and rejuvenate our souls.
Psalm 68:5
5 A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation!
These words declare the infinite mercy and tender compassion of our gracious God. Though God is all powerful and great in His glory, He does not despise those who are poor and needy. Though He reigns in heaven in His holy habitation, He does not forsake His children who are afflicted and abused by cruel and wicked men in this unjust world. With pity He will attend to His suffering children, and be their help and defence. The fatherless, the widows, the persecuted – all will find Him to be their solace. To all those who trust Him, He proves Himself to be an all-sufficient God. He glories in that He is the Father of the fatherless. He magnifies Himself as the Defender of the helpless.
Scripture bears consistent testimony to the prayers of the helpless and their resultant deliverance. “… the poor committeth himself unto thee; thou art the helper of the fatherless... LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear: to judge the fatherless and the oppressed, that the man of the earth may no more oppress” (Psalm 10:14, 17, 18). Psalm 146:9 declares, “The LORD preserveth the strangers; he relieveth the fatherless and widow”.
God not only declares Himself to be the Defender of the afflicted, He also urges His people to do the same. The LORD spoke to Israel through Moses, “For the LORD your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward: He doth execute the judgment of the fatherless and widow, and loveth the stranger, in giving him food and raiment. Love ye therefore the stranger: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt” (Deuteronomy 10:17-19). He even commanded the possessors of agricultural land to leave behind grains and fruits for the poor (cf. Deuteronomy 24:17-22). It must also be mentioned that Christians had been sharply rebuked for negligence of the poor in the church: “If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, and one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?” (James 2:15-16). Let us unite with our God in relieving those who are in great need. “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world” (James 1:27).
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek” (Romans 1:16). In the immediate context, Paul elaborated on his indebtedness to preach the Gospel to the Greeks and the barbarians, to the wise and the unwise. He also wrote about his longing to be in Rome to preach the Gospel there. Though the Gospel was then unpopular in those areas of the world, as it is today, Paul was not ashamed of it.
To the wise of this world, the Gospel was foolishness, yet it was Paul’s joyous passion to preach it (cf. 1 Cor 1:23). He preached it with unashamed boldness. Paul was not embarrassed to suffer for the Gospel (2 Tim 1:8, 12; cf. 1 Cor 4:10-13; 9:12b).
The Gospel’s unpopularity has compelled many preachers to compromise its content and delivery. They try to make the Gospel inoffensive. However, such a Gospel is not the “gospel of God” (1:1) or the “gospel of Christ” (1:16; cf. 1:9), but the gospel of man, which cannot save sinners. Unlike many modern preachers, Paul was undeterred in proclaiming the pure Gospel of Jesus Christ.
In the rest of Romans 1:16, Paul explains to his readers the crucial truths about the Gospel – “for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” The word “for” introduces the reason why he was not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, and the reason he gave was: “it is the power of God unto salvation” (v. 16b). The word “power” comes from the Greek word dunamis, from which we get the English word “dynamite”. It refers to the power residing in a thing by virtue of its nature. The power inherent in the Gospel is “the power of God”.
Through the Gospel, God’s infinite power works to save sinners from the bondage of sin. The Gospel is the means by which God exerts His omnipotent power to quicken souls dead in trespasses and sins. It is God’s efficacious (or mighty) plan by which His power goes forth to save sinners who once may have resisted the Gospel. (Read Paul’s words in 1 Cor 1:18, 24-25).
The phrase, “it is the power of God”, implies that the Gospel is God’s plan, not man’s device. Furthermore, nothing can make the Gospel void from saving God’s elect. The phrase, “it is the power of God unto salvation”, guarantees that the Gospel has the power to grant complete deliverance from sin and hell.
Salvation is offered to everyone who believes in the Gospel of Christ: “to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek” (v. 16c). Salvation is bestowed freely and fully on all who receive the Gospel of Jesus Christ by faith. The phrase, “to the Jew first, and also to the Greek”, indicates that the Gospel came to the Jews before the Greeks, through Christ (Matt. 10:5-7) and through the apostles (Acts 3:26). The Gospel is not an exclusive message for either the Jews or the Gentiles; it is to be preached everywhere, that people from every nation and tribe may believe and be saved. Praise God that the Gospel has reached us and granted us salvation. And now, may it spread to others for their salvation, through each one of us who has already believed in the Gospel.
(A recent reflection from Bro. Seraph McGregor, a Bible teacher at GBI, India. Serving alongside him is his wife, Ribka, who supports the students’ well-being and prepares their meals.)
I grew up in a very pluralistic context, where people would talk much about religious harmony and unity in diversity. A commonly propagated notion was that all religions are but different paths that lead to the same God. At school, a teacher who would lead the morning prayers often taught us the same thing, citing the example of the structure of a particular temple, which has four entrances and this, according to him, could be equated to different religions; no matter which one of the four entrances you choose, you would enter into the same temple. Similarly, he said that there is but one God. No matter which religion you follow, it will ultimately lead you to Him. As a school-going boy, I admired this concept of pluralism. But when I became a Christian, I knew that I could not accept what I had been taught in school.
Pope Francis recently remarked, “All religions are paths to God.” Christians around the world are upset about it. But as I ponder the issue, I think I can agree with my music teacher and the Pope, but not in the sense that you are probably thinking right now. I am convinced biblically that you will have to meet God, no matter what way or religion you pursue. We are told in the sacred Scriptures: “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27).
The Bible clearly tells us that when we die, we will have to face judgment. But who is going to judge us? Acts 17:31 says that it is Christ who will judge the world - “… he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained”. Jesus said that the Father has committed the judgment to Christ, the Son of man. God has appointed Christ to be the Saviour of all who trust in Him, and the Judge of all who reject Him. Yes, He will judge the living and the dead, those who believe and those who do not. Revelation 20:11–15 declares, “And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it... And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”
Regardless of the way one has chosen to walk on, he shall one day find God at the end of that way as the Judge of all men! So, as the prophet Amos said, “…prepare to meet thy God, O Israel” (Amos 4:12)!
But does the Lord Jesus disagree with what is being said here? Did He not say, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6)? Yes, He did, and that makes the whole difference. Jesus said no one comes to the Father, but by Him.
Those who have come to appear before God through the blessed Way, Jesus, would find God to be their gracious heavenly Father and shall be received into His gracious and blissful presence. He shall be their God, and they shall be His people who were otherwise His enemies. Christ – and Christ alone – has made peace between us and God, and brought about the reconciliation of all things through His atoning death on the cross and His resurrection. This is the very message that we are called to preach: that Christ – and Christ alone – is the Author of our reconciliation with God.
It is through Christ that we have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry out, “Abba, Father” (Romans 8:15)! It is to them who believe in Jesus that He has given the “power to become the sons of God” (John 1:12). It is through the only begotten Son of God alone that we can truly become the children of God.
Sermon Text: Psalm 91:1–6
Speaker: Pastor Prabhudas Koshy
Date: 6th October 2024