Sermon Tone Analysis

Psalm 46:1-11

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stephen Caswell © 2004

 

Always The Path Out

 

A distinguished painter was conducting a class for aspiring artists.

He was speaking on the subject of artistic composition.

He emphasized that it was wrong, for example, to portray a woodland, a forest or a wilderness, without painting into it a path out of the trees.

When a true artist draws any kind of picture, say a landscape, he always gives his picture an out.

Otherwise the tangle of trees and the trackless spaces depress and dismay the onlooker.

In the same way God encourages His children by providing a way out of trials.

Today, we live in perilous times.

The attack on the World Trade Center, the Bali bombings and recent terrorist attacks in Indonesia and Russia highlight this.

In the light of these recent events I thought it would be good to look at God's sovereignty.

/Is the Lord able to watch over His people?/ /Is He a refuge for His people?/ /Or/ /does He abandon us in difficult situations?/ Surely not!

The Psalmist reflected on this very thing in Psalm 46.

His Psalm just oozes with confidence in God.

There are three things I would like to look at in this Psalm.

They are */God's Shelter, God's Salvation/* and*/ God's Sovereignty.

/*

*/ /*

/Firstly,/     God's Shelter

 

/a.

The Facts/

 

*Psalm 46:1: */God is our *refuge* and* strength*, A very *present help* in trouble./

*/Firstly,/* God is our refuge.

The word */refuge/* means a */shelter, hope, trust/*.

It speaks of a place of safety.

When someone committed manslaughter he could flee to a city of refuge to escape the avenger.

Yes, trouble comes into all of our lives, but we can seek refuge in the Lord.

He protects us in times of trouble.

*Proverbs 18:10:* /The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.

/This idea is expressed many times in the Bible.

David always found refuge in the Lord when his enemies sought his life.

Saul pursued David for many years, yet God always protected him.

David knew that the Lord was watching over him.

*Psalm 18:2-3:* /The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised; So shall I be saved from my enemies.

/David found the help that he needed from the Lord.

/Do you run to the Lord when troubles come?/

You should!

 

*/Secondly,/* God is our strength.

The word */strength/* means */power, might, boldness, to be mighty./*

When trials and trouble come, our strength is drained from us.

Yet at these times God is able to strengthen us and help us to stand.

We only need to ask Him for strength.

*Isaiah 40:28-31:* /Have you not known?

Have you not heard?

The everlasting God, the Lord, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary.

His understanding is unsearchable.

*He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength.*

Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall,/ */But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint./*

It doesn't matter how strong or weak we are, we all need God's strength.

Only He can sustain us in the trials of life!

*Psalm 73:25-26:* /Whom have I in heaven but You?

And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You.

My flesh and my heart fail;* But God is the strength of my heart *and my portion forever.

/One time, David returned to Ziglag with his men and found it burned down and their families carried away as captives.

/What did he do?/

His men blamed him for it all.

*1 Samuel 30:6* tells us: /Now David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and his daughters.

*But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.

*When trials come do we strengthen ourselves in the Lord?

Or do we try and make it on our own?

/God is always ready to strengthen us.

The */third/* provision that God gives to His people is help.

The word */help/* means to */succor /*or*/ assist.

/*God provides refuge and strength to His people.

But He also */helps/* us in our trials.

What's more He doesn't do this from a distance.

He is right there with us to help us in our trials.

*Hebrews 13:5-6:*/ For He Himself has said, I will never leave you nor forsake you.

So we may boldly say: The Lord is my helper; I will not fear.

What can man do to me?/ God doesn't expect us to make it on our own.

In fact, He knows that we can't.

It's only our pride and fear that keep us from seeking His help.

/ /

/Will you determine to seek God's help each day?

Will you allow God to take control of the trials in your life?/ God is always waiting to answer your prayers.

*Psalm 34:17-19:* /The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles.

The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit.

Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all./

/b.

Our Faith/

* *

*Psalm 46:2-3: */Therefore *we will not fear*, Even though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though its waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with its swelling.

*Selah*/

 

/In light of God's provision how should we respond to uncertainty, trials and conflict?

/We should respond in faith, not in fear.

/If God is our refuge, strength and help shouldn't we trust Him to take care of us?/ /If calamity takes place on the earth, hasn't God caused it or allowed it to happen?

/Therefore,/ /we must respond in faith when turmoil comes into our lives.

This is exactly what Job did when wave after wave of calamity broke upon him.

He trusted in God's goodness.

He knew that the Lord would not let him down.

The Psalmist said that even if the world was turned upside down he knew that God would take care of him.

* *

Setting The Sails

/ /

Hudson Taylor, first went to China, in a sailing vessel.

Very close to the shore of cannibal islands the ship was becalmed, and it was slowly drifting shore ward unable to go about and the savages were eagerly anticipating a feast.

The captain came to Mr. Taylor and besought him to pray for the help of God.

I will, said Taylor, provided you set your sails to catch the breeze.

The captain declined to make himself a laughing stock by unfurling in a dead calm.

Taylor said, I will not undertake to pray for the vessel unless you will prepare the sails.

And it was done.

While engaged in prayer, there was a knock at the door of his stateroom.

/Who is there?

/

/The captain’s voice responded, are you still praying for wind?/ Yes.