LIMAVADY INDEPENDENT METHODIST CHURCH
SERMON NOTES FROM SUNDAY 2 JANUARY 2022
PSALM 18 VERSES 1 - 7
"In my distress I called upon the Lord and cried unto my God; he heard my voice out of his temple and my cry came before him even into his ears." verse 6
This is one of the longest psalms attributed to David with 50 verses in total. It came at a dark and dangerous time when many attempts were made on his life. Consider the motivations David had as he put pen to paper to his innermost thoughts. What were the thoughts behind this psalm, the reasoning behind the writing of this psalm - the aims and goals he had?
A great hope he has for the coming days. Isn't it good at the end of a year to reflect back? As David reflected he wrote this psalm. Just like Mary when she "pondered all these things in her heart." (Luke 2 verse 19) At the time when she was told she would give birth to a baby son who would be the Saviour of the world, she pondered everything in her heart. At the time when the shepherds came to worship her son, she pondered everything in her heart. At 12 years of age when Mary and Joseph went up to the temple and discovered Jesus was not with them on the return journey and they had to retrace their steps to find him talking to the scribes and leaders of the temple, she pondered everything in her heart. David had great confidence and conviction in God - have we that same confidence and conviction too? If God has done this for a year that is past then surely he would do it in the next year? Do we come into God's house today as a matter of routine, of sitting down reading and hearing God's word? When David faced Goliath and was given the armour by Saul surely his mind went back to the night he rescued the lamb from the bear and he said to himself "God delivered me on that day and he will deliver me from Goliath today." He reflected on the past and armed himself for the day ahead. David had a sense of hope. God had brought him through so much and he relied on him for the future.
David expresses humility. Remember how when David was haunted for his life and he expressed a desire of a drink from a well back home. (2 Samuel 23 verse 15) 3 men risked their lives to bring him a jug of water. David wouldn't drink it but poured it out as an offering to the Lord. In the introduction he calls himself "the servant of the Lord". He sets aside his royal acclaim to acknowledge God. He is but a servant. Paul said he was "a bondslave of Jesus Christ." (Romans 1 verse 1) How different it was for Saul - from one of the smallest tribes in Israel yet raised to be king of Israel. (1 Samuel 9 verse 21) He later rejected God's word. Samuel reminded him of his lowly beginnings. Because of his rejection of God, God rejected him. God sent Saul on an important mission - to destroy the enemy and not to leave any alive but instead he brought back some of the flocks and people. When Samuel stood before Saul he pleaded with him not to reject him but walk with him before the elders and leaders of Israel. He didn't want to lose face with his friends. 1 Samuel 15 verse 30 " I have sinned yet honour me now, I pray thee, before the elders of my people and people of Israel and turn again with me that I might worship the Lord thy God." He was concerned about what people would say and think rather than what God had already decided. The publican came into the temple but he wouldn't even lift up his eyes but said "Lord be merciful to me a sinner." (Luke 18 verse 13) Paul said "Unto me, who am less of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ." (Ephesians 3 verse 8) He appreciated the grace given to him. Such humility. Not preaching here because he had been taught by the greatest teacher or had been taught in the greatest schools. 'I am God's servant' Paul said.
The hunger David shows in this psalm. He feels he has to do something. He has now reflected on what God had done for him and wants to do something for God. Have we time for God today? To seek his face, to meet with God's people, setting time aside for whatever God is calling us to do? These words are words of devotion and dedication. David looks back in the past to show his appreciation. He has a desire to glorify and praise the God of heaven. Will we say to God 'what can I really do for you?" As he reflected back he expressed these words - "Howbeit for this cause I otained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting". (1 Timothy 1 verse 16) This man was called to preach but he was also willing to say 'Lord whatever you want me to do, I am a debtor. You have reached me so I want in turn to reach others. Let me do something for you today.'
The honour that David serves.
LIMAVADY INDEPENDENT METHODIST CHURCH
SERMON NOTES FROM SUNDAY 9 JANUARY 2022
PSALM 18 VERSE 6
"IN MY DISTRESS I CALLED UPON THE LORD AND CRIED UNTO MY GOD; HE HEARD MY VOICE OUT OF HIS TEMPLE, AND MY CRY CAME BEFORE HIM, EVEN INTO HIS EARS."
The psalmist was full of praise for the deliverance God wrought. It is also for the pain the psalmist was in. He witnessed the hand of God in every situation he had faced up to. Isn't it wonderful to realise the hand of God delivering us from circumstances we have faced in our lives? Think of Daniel in the lions den. If he had never experienced that situation he would never have known the hand of God in his life. David encountered God's deliverance. We do not know what this year may bring but we know God holds the year in his hands.
The cause of this distress. David speaks of the pain, the burdens that came into his life and what caused them. "Cast your burden upon the Lord and he will sustain you." If I didn't know anything about a burden then I would never know the sustaining power of God on my life, the presence of God in my prayers and the deliverance of God on my life's journey. Think of Jonah. He bought a ticket to get away from God as far as possible. He was out of the will of God. It caused distress. When we turn from what God asks us to do it will cause distress. Jonah was told to go and preach in Nineveh. God promised that if he preached and they repented of their wickedness then he would take away their sin and the penalty of their sin. Jonah didn't want to do it. He didn't want God to forgive the people. He made a decision to get as far away from God as possible. It brought distress into his life until he repented himself and turned around. Then he knew God's hand on his life once more. David was not in fact outside of the will of God here. It was the result of malice and jealousy that Saul had for him. Saul knew he had a heart after God, he knew David was God's anointed. When Saul saw the people singing David's praises he was jealous and bitter and envious of what he had. He tried with a javelin to spear him to the very wall but he didn't succeed. Remember Joseph. Out of hatred and jealousy his brothers threw him into a pit. He had only come out to see his brothers, to bring word of his father to them. They were full of jealousy towards him. Reuben spoke up - "lets do him no harm". They put him into a well and when the Ishmaelites came they took him out of the well, sold him in the market place. Had God forgot about him? No. He was in the very centre of God's will. He needed him there to bring God's people back to himself. Such was his distress. Imagine Joseph in that well. Maybe he called out for his brothers by name, pleaded for them to lift him out. His world was turned upside down. Joseph listened as they bargained with the Ishmaelites, trying to get the best price for him. Then he could see those traders taking him, put his wrists and ankles into chains. Psalm 105 verse 18 "whose feet they hurt with fetters. he was laid in iron." Such was Joseph's state. Sometimes our distress could be light compared to what we read in the scriptures. Maybe your distress is big for you. What about the calamity that comes because of our own wrongdoing? Those brothers some 20 years later go down to Egypt and speak to Joseph not knowing who he is. Genesis 42 verse 21 "We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us." They knew they had dealt harshly with their younger brother. It wa all coming back to them now. We saw the anguish of his soul when he besought us. Was this the time when Joseph pleaded for them to lift him out of the well? They turned their backs on him. They didn't do anything to help him. Maybe we have taken sides with something and we shouldn't have done it.
A challenge. It is wonderful to know that God is well able to deal with us in our distress. God has not forgotten about us. Think of Daniel. I am sure he was anxious in that lions den. God sends his angel to him. God knew the distress the children of Israel were in in Egypt. He told Moses "I have heard their cries, I have seen their affliction." Pharaoh has put great pressure on them but God knew all about that. For 400 years God saw and knew all about it. If you are a child of God today God knows about the difficulties and distresses you are in. Hagar out in the wilderness, God knew all about her. The challenge came to David. He knew he was in this distress. Would he try and run away? Or would he hide it? He felt he was going to die. Look at the word used here - "snares" meaning traps. He could see them all around him. The cords of death were entangling him. Verse 5 "floods of ungodly men made me afraid." There he was sitting in this cave praying. He could see these ungodly men. They were making him afraid. The idea of floods is a picture of the waves on the rock and they were so loud. David felt as though he was going to die. What harm did he think he had done against Saul? Like an animal. In the space of a short time everything could change. That is why we need to go through with God, not just taking up our role on Sundays but going through with God when distresses come upon us. Verse 2 he is talking about rocks one on the top of each other, a place of hiding, shelter. Every one of those descriptions in verse 2 is proceeded with my personal relationship with God. What the Lord did on the cross of Calvary - he was dying for every one of us. He died to reconcile every one of us to God. His blood was shed for every one of us. David is challenged as he sits in the cave. A dark and lonely place One day he was on a high and the next he is sitting in an old cave. How quickly things can come in around us. David felt the distress so acutely. On day Bathsheba's child was dying. He knew the sorrow and distress of losing a loved one. He suffered just like us. Family distresses. When that child was taken from him he felt the pain. When Absalom his son rebelled against him, what is he going to do in that situation? Think of Jairus. His little girl was sick, at the point of death. 12 years of age. Wondering and pondering for a time, bringing the best doctors he could get but there was nothing they could do for her now. A ruler in the synagogue. He didn't have much time for Jesus. What would he do now though? There will be challenges for us in the year ahead. Those challenges will test our faith. How will we react - run away?
The course he would take and the comfort he receives.
LIMAVADY INDEPENDENT METHODIST CHURCH
SERMON NOTES SUNDAY 16 JANUARY 2021
MATTHEW 6 VERSES 25 - 34
Psalm 18 verse 6 "In my distress I called upon the Lord and cried unto my God; he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears."
From this verse we can see the advice the psalmist is giving. It is an attitude we should have in times of distress. There was nothing new to David. He had come through the school of hard knocks. He knew what to do in times of distress. Here he is now doing something to benefit us when we come into times of distress. He is giving us advice on how to deal with distress - to wait upon the Lord. What did Jesus say to his disciples when in th depth of sorrow? "My peace I give unto you, not as the world gives unto you. Let not your heart be troubled neither let it be afraid." Jesus tells us you need peace and that is only found in me. I want to give it to you if you will only ask for it. When your burden gets heavy and you feel somehow you are going under "come unto me all ye that labour and I will give you rest." We looked at the cause of the distress, then we looked at the challenge of the distress, the course the Psalmist would take - call on the Lord, cry unto the Lord.
The simplicity. The psalmist shows in his old age, reflecting back on the years of his life looking at the various times when trouble came his way. When Saul hunted him and he had to take refuge in a cave. He was thinking of Absalom his son who rebelled against him when he had to run to the wilderness. What did I do in those times? I cried unto the Lord. Sees those times of anxiety and pain He was not above everyone else. I felt those times of distress and pain and anguish. Difficult times he couldn't explain, couldn't even relate to anyone else how he was feeling. Maybe that sounds familiar to us today. It is hard to get words to describe it. Feel might be an inferior Christian because of these feelings. This is David the king of Israel not afraid to put into words himself when he sat down before the Lord, when he simply cried onto God. Sometimes we feel cannot go on in life that we fall down and cry unto the Lord. The advice the Psalmist gave was to cry. The simplicity. There are more books on prayer today but this is not something you write about but rather needs to be practiced. No fancy words or well put together phrases are required. He was simply opening up his heart in simplicity. He was not bringing something that the Lord didn't already know about. Our lives are an open book before God. He knows the end from the beginning. He knows all about your situation today. He knows all about your fears and doubts. In Matthew 6 when the disciples were before the Lord and fearful about what the next day would bring Jesus told them "your heavenly father knoweth what you have need of". Let tomorrow be in God's hands because he knows what will happen. The psalmist knew the pain of distress. Think of Elijah under threat of death by Jezebel. 400 prophets had been put to death on Mount Carmel and now Jezebel threatened to kill him in revenge. Elijah ran for his life. His servant was with him but he stopped and Elijah ran on. God knew all about him and his situation.
The sincerity. I called and I cried - this challenged me as I thought about those words - am I praying in sincerity? Or am I telling him only about certain things? Am I in earnest when I pray? A helplessness in prayer. He cannot get out of the situation he is in. He cannot get away from the pain he was in. We must come believing the bible, that he is God and beside him there is none other. He is the one seated on the throne of heaven. He inhabits eternity. He is the rewarder of them that diligently search for him. Manasseh was the son of Hezekiah who had been a good king and made many reforms. But Manasseh was very wicked. God allowed the Assyrian forces to come down and take him prisoner. He was put into fetters and chains. He didn't seek him before this but it was only as he was being carried away that he humbled himself greatly. The Lord heard him and dealt with him in that affliction. Sometimes when things are difficult and hard it is not easy to pray but that is what the psalmist is recommending to do here.
The sweetness. Sometimes we think God only hears us when everything is going good. This was written by a man after God's own heart, favoured by God himself. We think of course that God would see him but not us. The Lord's ears are open unto your cry today. Think of Hagar the young servant of Sarah. She was the mother of Ishmael. When Isaac was born to Sarah Ishmael began to mock and taunt him. Sarah came to Abraham and said this could not continue. Abraham tells Hagar she had to go, he gave her bread and water. She took her son Ishmael and wandered into the wilderness of Bathsheba. When the water was spent she took her son and placed him under a tree. She didn't want to hear his cries. She pleaded with God not to see the death of her child. Look at what it says next - "and God heard the voice of the lad." Remember Calvary - when Jesus hung for your sin and mine. He had been tormented and abused already, now they raised his hands and feet and nailed them to the cross. Darkness fell on the earth. God couldn't look at his son dying there for your sin and mine. Have you asked the Lord into your heart today? Have you said "I will trust him from this moment on?" Something else happened there as Jesus died. The veil of the temple was torn from the top to the bottom. That was significant because the way of access was opened up to everyone. Previously only the high priest could enter into the holy of holies once a year. Hebrews "having therefore boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus. By a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil that is to say, his flesh. And having an high priest over the house of God. Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering (for he is faithful that promised)." (Hebrews 10 verses 19 - 23) The way has been opened up. The Lord will hear your cry today. Think of the Persian kingdom and the man Haman. He loved his position, loved to see people bowing down to him. There was one man who wouldn't bow down to him and because of him Haman decided he would make sure the Jewish people were destroyed. There was one young woman in the kingdom who could prevent this destruction. Mordecai, the man who would not bow to Haman told her that it was up to her to inform the king of the plan. She couldn't go directly into the king but had to wait on the sidelines until the king acknowledged her. Only he could point the golden sceptre in her direction. We don't have to wait to come into the presence of the king of kings today. We can bow our heads and plead our case right now. What is the burden, distress that you have today? Listen to what the psalmist said he did 'I called upon the Lord and cried unto my God."
The sufficiency. God is able to meet that need today. He is just waiting for you to call.
LIMAVADY INDEPENDENT METHODIST CHURCH
SERMON NOTES FROM SUNDAY 23 JANUARY 2022
1 KINGS 19 VERSES 9 - 12
Elijah is going through a dark and difficult time. In an earlier chapter he had climbed Mount Carmel and challenged the false prophets of Israel. Some were divided wanting to follow after the gods of Baal while others wanted to follow God. The challenge Elijah gave "How long halt ye between two opinions? If the Lord be God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him." God came down that day and licked up all the sacrifice off the altar Elijah had prepared. All the prophets of Baal were killed that day but Jezebel the queen was not pleased. She promised to kill Elijah and he ran from her presence out into the wilderness. There God met Elijah and sustained him. He knew he needed rest and care, food and comfort. God met Elijah once more in a cave and showed himself through a still small voice. Our motto verse of Psalm 18 verse 6 gives us great advice for the incoming year. The psalmist David tells us not to carry our burdens alone but take them to the Lord. He spoke from experience. Remember the disciples out on the boat at night time. They were rowing frantically but the winds were blowing and the waves beating in. They were doing everything possible until Jesus stepped in and brought the calm in the midst of the storm.
David speaks here of the testimony of God. When you and I are in a time of trouble, going through the valley and cannot get out of it, God's word states "call upon me and I will answer thee." David is now an old man and is looking back at the years and various trials and situations he found himself in. He began to examine these times. He called upon the Lord and he cried and the Lord stepped in. David is giving good advice today. He is speaking here of the testimony of God. If I hadn't known distress I wouldn't have known the Lord stepping in. If I hadn't known what it is to hunted by Saul I would never have known the blessing of God in my life. If I hadn't known anything of the rebellion of my son Absalom then I wouldn't know what real distress was. Jesse told David to take bread and water to his brothers in the battle. The whole nation were cowering behind rocks while a great Philistine would come out and call on the nation. The nation were in fear because of him. David got caught up in this situation. He heard Goliath ridiculing the nation and their God. David steps up to the challenge. If he hadn't taken on that task of taking bread to his brothers he never would have met Goliath, never have known the blessing of God in his life. Sometimes God asks us to do something simple yet it may prove to be a blessing to some one person just because we obeyed. Remember Jeremiah in the prison house. He heard God telling him to call upon him and he would answer him. He knew the blessing God. We all would love life to run smoothly with no hiccups, no valleys. If we never were in a valley we would never know the hilltop. James said "my brethren count it all joy when you fall into divers temptations." Have you ever thought life was running against you? When the way seems hard?
We see the testimony but also the timing of God. The very next verse starts with the word "then". That happens time and time again. Remember in Acts how the disciples were arrested and beaten, told not to preach again in Jesus' name. What did they do when they were released? They went and found their own people and met with them. They continued to speak with boldness in the temple. "This poor man cried and the Lord heard him and delivered him from all his fears." Sometimes the answer can come like that - quickly but other times the answer doesn't come straight away. God will answer in his own time. Joseph was sold as a slave into Egypt. He was sent into the prison where he met the chief butler and baker. He saw them sad one day and asked them about it. The 2 men told their dreams and Joseph interpreted them. The butler would be restored and the baker would not. Joseph asked to be remembered but it would take another 2 years before he did so. One day Pharaoh had a dream and Joseph was brought in to interpret his dream.
We see the terror of God. In verses 7, 8 and 9 David uses imagery to describe the terror of God. In Acts 4 as the people prayed the foundations of the house shook. When God steps in things begin to shake and move. In Acts 16 at midnight Paul and Silas in prison began to sing praises to God. God heard those prayers and praises and he stepped in. The foundations of the prison house began to shake and the doors were opened. Remember Jonah, how God stepped into his life. He seemed to take his role and responsibility lightly. God spoke to him and told him what he wanted him to do. Jonah had other other ideas. He didn't want to do this, he knew if he did the people would repent and it was not something he wanted to see happening. He fled to Tarshish in a boat. God sent a great wind there, he was stepping in. If God is speaking ... if we take it lightly ... turn our back on it God might have to step in and violently. Jonah and the rest of the crew thought they would perish that day. God was stepping in .The terror of God was evident. God will one day step in at the end of the age. Revelation 6 verse 14 "and every mountain and island were moved out of their places ... And every man hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; and said ... fall on us and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb."
The triumph. God sees and he moves in such a mighty way. "he drew me out of many waters. He delivered me from my strong enemy." God will answer and he will deliver. Maybe not in the way we plan. Elijah sitting in the cave is told by God to go to the entrance. He is in fear and apathy but he does as told. Suddenly something happens outside of the cave. A strong wind breaks the rocks but the Lord was not in that strong wind or earthquake. He saw the fire fall but again the Lord was not in it. A still small voice came and it was then that Elijah heard God. God can be in just a still small voice today not the mighty things we expect. Are we looking for the voice of God today?
