Ready For Forgiveness
Psalm 74:1 "O God, why hast thou acast us off for ever?
Why doth thine anger bsmoke against cthe sheep of thy pasture?
2 Remember thy congregation, which dthou hast purchased of old;
The ||erod of fthine inheritance, which gthou hast redeemed;
This mount Zion, wherein thou hast dwelt.
3 Lift up thy feet unto the perpetual hdesolations;
Even iall that the enemy hath done wickedly in the sanctuary." [1]
I. Request
A. Why
B. When
II. Remind
A. Purchase
B. Possess
III. Release
A. Power
B. Penalty
Introduction: Tomorrow is recognized as this nation’s Memorial Day holiday. A holiday is a day that is known by most as a day with pay for those who work for an organization that has paid holidays. For others who don’t get a paid day off, it is a day for getting together with family. Some actually do not get to take the day off. Those who are serving in the military and others who are serving in public service such as EMS, Fire Service, police are really the ones we think of when we observe Memorial Day, but these folks, unless their schedule happens to work out that way, most of those folks will be at work tomorrow.
I was in an aviation group many years ago that kept old military planes flying. One of the pilots was retired Air Force who flew fighters in Viet Nam. He rented one of the end rooms at the Goldsboro Airport that is half of a Tee hangar. We sometimes would hang out with him there. He kept his war medals and awards there. MP said that he couldn’t keep them at home to be constantly reminded of the friends that he had lost. He got the awards for surviving what they didn’t is the way Mike said it.
The true hero is often the one who doesn’t live to get the medal. It is those who we remember on this holiday called Memorial Day. The warriors who have kept this country free have kept it free so that we can be safe from government interference of how we serve whatever god we choose even if we choose not to follow the One true God.
The children of Israel had many days that they considered holy. Holy days when they set aside special events to commemorate what God had brought them through. Israel had many days of deliverance that they celebrated because that nation has been under some sort of oppression for most of its existence and yet we understand them to be God’s chosen people.
As we are in another wave of despair in this nation and throughout this world, it is helpful to know that God does bring us through. People watch the tides and know that the tides ebb and flow. We can mostly understand when the tides will change but all that man can do is watch. We accept that we have no control of that yet we live with it. Storm predictions have gotten a bit better through the years so that we have learned something about avoiding some of the terrible effects and though the crazies think otherwise, we have no control over the weather system. We deal with it when it comes and provide relief to those in need after the storm.
We know all this yet most people do not call on the only One who can actually change these things. Last week we started looking at a man called Asaph. He was a worship leader in King David’s time. Asaph was supposed to set a tone of worship but he more wanted to set a tone for understanding who God was; which the ultimate worship is.
Scripture: The scripture is Psalm 74:1-3. When you have found it please rise to your feet for the reading of God’s written word.
Prayer: Please be seated
Message: If this Asaph is the one who was picked by King David to lead the music as choir director over Asaph’s sons, this Psalm sound much like Lamentations we know that were written during the time when the nation of Judah fell and was taken into exile. A search for the name Asaph shows that there was indeed another called Asaph that lived during Hezekiah’s reign but even Hezekiah was before the temple fell. The names in the Bible sometimes allow confusion when we attempt to settle historic chronology.
Most believe that these Psalms were written by the Asaph that King David commissioned to lead worship in song so it seems that these Psalms have more to do with the period before the temple was built by Solomon. The Philistines captured the Ark of the Covenant before Saul’s reign. Asaph is famous for being one who banged the cymbals as David danced when the ark returned to Jerusalem.
To know the events which caused this particular Psalm to be written would make a good Bible study but the truth is, Israel is the pattern for those who follow the Lord, turn away, and then return to His favor again. As we study the Psalms, let them remind what happens when we trust those who God has temporarily allowed to test our faith more than we trust Him. God left Israel to their own design many times yet He was always ready to receive them back when they were ready to ask for forgiveness for the things they did against Him.
When we have left our first love to pursue the idols of others, and find ourselves outside of His provision, if we His church accept our missteps and truly ask for God’s return, the first and most important thing is to ask why. It is important to understand how we have offended God. So much for those who say you should never question God. If you don’t know how you have offended God you need to know. Jesus’ first request from the cross was to ask for your forgiveness for not knowing. A professor once told us that if you want to insure a prayer is answered, ask God to reveal your sin. If you do know why God has left you and you ignore His indifference that is your problem that you intend to keep.
Asaph was right to ask why. He was ready to listen. When we are ready to ask God how we offended Him and understand that He is the One who knows why and when we did offend Him then He will instruct our conscience through The Holy Spirit.
Notice what Asaph did in verse two. He reminded God of the grace that God has had for His people whom He purchased. Israel is the tribe of His inheritance that God has redeemed. He chose them to bring Jesus into this world.
We see a picture of that redemption in Ruth when Boas decided to give up something dear to him so that he could have Ruth. God gave up His Only Begotten Son for a time so that He could redeem us who had decided to be thrown away as refuse. It’s like picking up thrown out bottles from the ditches and receiving the redemption money when I was a young guy. Asaph reminded God of the love He had for His people who had discarded themselves. It is good to let God know that you know what He has done for you. It is good to let a veteran know today that you appreciate what they have given up for your freedom. It is good to be grateful for God’s gracefulness.
I am ready for a move! Lift up thy feet! Asaph knew that until God was ready to move, there would be no movement. Things are not going to change unless God is convinced that you are ready for that change. Asaph was tired of pretending that everything was going to be OK with the way things were. He felt stuck trying to move people to worship who were satisfied with not worshipping God. I know what the people are doing to what should be worship of You God. I see it and they have turned out to be enemies.
Perpetual desolations! These people didn’t just wander into the things they are doing against God. They are perpetual, over and over again they repeat the abomination and they see no reason to change. Asaph was ready for God to move so that Israel would move back to the spiritual place where they once were.
Until we as His bride acknowledge that we are due the penalty that Jesus took for us upon His cross, we will continue to see God’s power unleashed in ways that we will not be hedged from. His hedge of protection that the Israelites knew during the Passover has been lifted and we are seeing the world going through turmoil that even we are now in the midst of.
One day God will lift His elect out of the tribulation but for now we are receiving the wrath of earthquakes, famine, pestilence, fires, and yes this pandemic. The church is not exempt because we have not shown Him that we are His elect. Asaph was ready for a change. He remembered.
Prayer:
Invitation: We are His church. This nation was formed so that we might show the world what happens when a country puts worship of God first. Our constitution was written with service to each other and witness of God in the forefront. We are on a slippery slope as a nation. We, His church, are not innocent bystanders. By abstaining from taking our place in this world, we are committing the same offenses that were so troublesome to Asaph.
Are you ready to come back to God? This nation will not return unless we as individual citizens remember what those who fought, for fought for. The church will not take her rightful place as God’s elect unless we individual members acknowledge that He elected us and it’s not the other way around. Until we are willing to follow Him, He will not take the first step back to us. Are you willing said the Master? Think about it and please be reminded as we sing to thank a veteran when you see one …
a See Ps. 44:9. So Ps. 79:1, 5.
b Deut. 29:20. Ps. 18:8. So Ps. 80:4.
c Ps. 79:13. & 100:3. Ezek. 34:31. So Ps. 95:7.
d Ex. 15:16. Dt. 32:6 (Heb.).
|| Or, tribe. As Isai. 63:17.
e Jer. 10:16. & 51:19.
f Ex. 15:17. Deut. 9:29. & 32:9. Ps. 79:1.
g Ex. 15:13. So Deut. 9:26. Ps. 77:15. Isai. 63:9. See Ps. 78:35.
h Ps. 73:18 (Heb.). Comp. Isai. 61:4.
i So Lam. 2:7.
[1] The Holy Bible: King James Version. (2009). (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., Ps 74:1–3). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
