Sermon Tone Analysis

How many times have you gone through a drive down Mississauga Road, or taken the Lakeshore to get to Burlington and see all the grand houses.

Both sides of the road are full of massive houses, demonstrations of great wealth.

Parked in front of those houses are vehicles that are pretty expensive.

Grass is green, refrigerators are full, health is going OK. Now, are all of those living in such luxury believers?

There may be some believers living among the wealthy areas sure - but it is just as fair to say nonbelievers live there.

For the most part, we can take our minds of of this area and think of our own neighbourhoods - and to be honest the thought comes in “Lord, why is it so hard for us et the unbelievers seem to get along just fine?

They don’t have any care in the world!

“Why shouldn’t I just give up and join them in all they have?

It is hard to battle contentment, and this Psalm, is an aid to this struggle.

It is a Psalm of Wisdom, to remind us that though we see the truth of what I just mentioned, we get encouragement that though the unbelievers may seem to cost along with no care in the world, the Christian and the unregenerate are on two distinct paths.

This is what the Scripture is doing - it is aiding our heart in this area of battle.

See, an individual is going only in two directions - they are moving closer towards God or further away.

In other words, the individual is moving towards an eternal life reconciled to God and worshipping at his eternal throne, or moving deeper into eternal punishment, in the lake of fire set aside for the devil and his followers.

In New Testament understanding, we get to see this truth in

The understanding is - when hot water is moving further away from the source of its heat, it becomes lukewarm.

When Cold water is moved further away from its source, it becomes lukewarm.

The Psalm reminds us to be content, though we are tempted to join the world, take heart.

We have been set on a different path, and that is striving to be close to the source, to be close to God. reminds us of great truth found in , and that is, what is our focus and where our eyes need to be focused in our worship.

This Psalm, unlike others we have discussed was penned by Asaph, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

Who was this man?

He was a worship leader in the tabernacle choir.

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This is where we learn of this brother.

He was the chief, and second to him was Zechariah.

He was the one who sound the cymbals and like David was a singer.

He loved God and was considered a prophet, one needs to to read the Psalms accredited to him, such as the 83rd Psalm as it deals with God’s judgement of Israel’s enemies.

So this morning, we are going to learn, from the Worship leader to be reminded though rain falls on the just and unjust, the Lord blesses His people moving towards him in worship .

Let us unpack portions of this Psalm now,

Psalm 73:1-

I see the humanity here.

There is a tempatation to be envious of the prosperity of those not belonging to God, or in the context of the text, the wicked.

It goes back to what we said earlier, there is a temptation for us as believers and we really need to fight it and how we do it is remembering, Truly God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart.

See, sometimes it seems as if God is distant - he is not there.

For some in the room this morning he may even appear to be harsh and strict with his people.

But God is a good God.

Envy is a terrible pit to be in, coveting what others have has taken many down because they are no longer to see the blessings in their own lives, as they are too busy looking at others - when we loos sight of the eternal, we forget that He is devinly good, his goodness is inexhusatable, his mercy is rich and his covenant amazing - when we focus on those things, anything else seems to fail in comparrison.

a pre heart - meaning a true Israelite, people who love God with the whole heart, those who serve him, those filled with His spririt - I mean we all want to be there don’t we?

Yet, no matter how hard we strive towards this, we know we will fail - yet in this, we deny our flesh, we deny our pleasures, we deny so many things - and as we do watch the world get along just fine....this was an issue for Asaph.

But as for me....my fee had almost stumbled, my steps had nearly slipped....I was envious of the arrogant, the prosperity of the wicked.

Language is important - almost, nearly, there is language of forgetting, temptation…stumbling is real part of the journey.

We will stumble, we will fail, the faith of even the most esteemed believer those we even call mighty oaks or strength will fail...

When the storms hit and they do, there is truly only one anchor we have - It is Christ.

Though our feet may stumble and slip when we see the world getting along just fine as we crawl, and at times are so weak - we look to the One true God, who alone gives us strength.

Even as Asaph, when he was envious over the arrogant, and when he saw the prosperity of the wicked -

What do we learn about the wicked - the lost, those who have no care for their eternal estate.

4 - Tells us there are no sufferings till death..their bodies look great.

I don’t know about you, but when I look around at the rich, with perfect suits, perfect hair, have enought time, never mind money to get all the wrinkles and eye bags dealt with - do we desire to be them?

If we do, we can comfort and combat the thoughts with the knowledge of Christ.

5 - no trouble - it is as they do not share in the misery some of us had to endure.

What they need, they get, what they want they get - but one thing thye don’t have is Christ.

One commentary says,

they escape the common lot of humanity, and consequently their pride and brutality are unchecked.

Now, the best way to combat wanting what others have if of course look up - but I think verse 7-8 gives a good horizontal way as well.

7 - their eyes swell because of fatness, hearts overflowing with folly

There is an image of gross sensuality, they see and want and want it now

8- they speak with scoffing and malus, threaten oppression in other words are corrupt.

Evil speech, in 9 they esteem themselves.

To close it off quickly, they may have it all and give the appearance of needing nothing, they are in great need and that need is great grace.

Now in saying all this, there are still those who desire the lifestyle this fading world has for them - verse 10 tells us

verse 11 is the sad reality, the believers aligned with the nonbelievers.

They too become wicked and take on the very characteristics of those we just discussed.

They question God, they mock him almost and yet God allows it....he not only allows it, they increase in riches - ----

The next couple of verses really bring it home for us - Here we read Asaph is struggling.

He is struggling with this whole religion thing because when he looks around at the world it seems vain, it seems its more than what its worth.

All the charity, all the denying one self, all the devotional focus of prayers, discipleship…all the pain the comes with Christianity -

Have you been here?

Are you tired and are thinking, I am done - I got nothing left…I try so hard and got nothing....I am tired.

I believe in God yes, but I just want a little bit more, a little meat, just throw me a bone.....the fight seems so hard at times, one more step, one more prayer is so taxing.......well let me say this,

See, if this is you, if you are like Asaph let verse 17 be what snaps you back into the game.

Brothers and sisters, no matter what is going on in this world and no matter what the wicked may seem to have above what we could ever imagine, we must remember their end -

The lost will not receive a crown of righteousness, no - when you and I are in the presence of God, we behold that because of the Glorious Gospel we will live with Him forever,

When we recall How Love stepped down, in the image of man, lived and died in accordance to the Scriptures so that we will have life eternal everything fails in comparison, and when this hits are hearts, the understanding of what the wicked will go through will drive us away from envy to proclamation.

We will no longer desire what they have, but share with them what we have, as it is so much more, more valuable than any possession.

Listen to their condition.

They are in slippery places, they fall to ruin, they are destroyed in a moment, swept away utterly by terrors, they are going to be removed from the very presence of the Holy one of Israel.....

And you know what - that was you and I.

That is what awaited us…so when we struggle let us run to the Gospel…let us run to the good news that we were once lost but now found....we rejoice as Pilgrim said “He hath given me rest by His sorrow, and life by His death.”

This is what the transition of thought does for us too....throughout the Psalm it is the struggle of envy over all the worldy have, it took reflection and meditation in the presence of the Lord to snap Asaph back to understanding what he has is

This is why verse 21-22 speak about Asaph was grieved, because he was blinded to the beauty of God.

He was full of bitterness and grief opposed to praise and thanksgiving.

But because of Christ being rich in mercy and abundant in Grace pierced his hart through the spirit and showed him how his views were wrong, brutish, and ignorant -

May we learn to pray such things when we come out the other side of such battles.

Verse 23 is astounding, no matter what we are going through, He is continually with us, and us with him.

He is so loving - it was His spirit that led Asaph to the sanctuary in the first place.

Through the sin, through the failures.

Now in verse 24 we learn it is God who guides us with His counsel - the Word of God is our counsellor -

Here is a remedy for those who have issues with festing off the word of God.

Now, many come to church, many attend worship sessions but if we are not seeking counsel from the Word of God, we are operating as independent people.

See, we are to go to God for counsel -

See, God is the one who leads us, remember , His staff and Rod comfort us -

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This is what we are do, this is what snaps us out of being envious and jealous over what others have or our lack of -

Why?

Because he is bringing us to himself, he is bringing us into glory where he is.

This is our satisfaction, this is our joy, there is great honour on an entirely higher level, and that is being in the pre of God - if we do not see this, we have lost it somewhere.

And in verse 25, the declaration is made,

Psalm 73:

There is a strong Gospel proclamation in here.

So many time preachers will preach, turn from your sin, hell is a disgusting place and a terrifying place.

We make a call of self preservation, come to Christ because the alternative is awful, self preserve yourself but that is not the Gospel.

The Gospel is the God who is infinite in power, righteous in His judgement, decreed that those who sin against him shall die - this very God, showed his love for us, yet while we were still sinners, died for us, in his blood cleanses us from our sin, and has purchased us to the prize of HIS own possession.