Sunday Mercy for Monday Madness
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A woman being threatened and harassed at the workplace.
A high school student being mocked for his Christian faith.
A man being physically abused by his wife.
Each of these are true stories and each is an example of Monday Madness.
All across America people look with dread to tomorrow. Monday marks the beginning of a new week of being treated contemptuously and with scorn.
This is why we need Sunday Mercy. Psalm 123 is a psalm written by a man who was sick and tired of seeing the godly being treated contemptuously and with scorn by the ungodly. It is a psalm that God inspired to remind us to seek His mercy to fortify us for the coming week It is a psalm God inspired to remind us how important corporate worship really is.
Let us hear God’s Word to us today:
To you I lift up my eyes,
O you who are enthroned in the heavens!
Behold, as the eyes of servants
look to the hand of their master,
as the eyes of a maidservant
to the hand of her mistress,
so our eyes look to the Lord our God,
till he has mercy upon us.
Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us,
for we have had more than enough of contempt.
Our soul has had more than enough
of the scorn of those who are at ease,
of the contempt of the proud.
Let us begin by looking more closely at Monday Madness.
Monday Madness
Monday Madness
This psalm is for those who feel beaten up by the world. Life is hard for a true believer in God because the World, the Flesh and the Devil are all out to get us.
Many of you have come into worship this morning worn down by the previous week and dreading the coming week. Perhaps it is your workplace, there you feel attacked by both your supervisor and by your co-workers. Perhaps it is your home. Home is supposed to be a haven, but for you it is a place of conflict and tension. Perhaps is your own though life and heart; sin and temptation are a constant battle and doubts fill you mind as to the truthfulness and love of God.
I could go on, but I think you have the idea—Mondays often mark the beginning of a week of madness!
Sick and Tired of Being Mistreated
Sick and Tired of Being Mistreated
If you are sick and tired of this madness you are not alone:
In verse 3 the psalmist says, “we have had more than enough of contempt,” and in verse 4, “Our soul has had more than enough of the scorn of those who are at ease.”
One of the most disliked chores at the Larson household is cleaning up after our two dogs. With a shovel in one hand and a plastic bag in the other, one of us has to slowly walk through the yard picking up dog "dog treasures”. What we pick up is contemptible.
Have you ever heard someone say, “I am treated like "dog treasures”! Of course, they don’t say “dog treasures,” but I can’t say that word from the pulpit!
This is what it means to be held in contempt, and the psalmist and his follow worshipers we sick and tired of being treated this way.
Not only this but they were sick and tired of being treated with “scorn by those who were at ease.”
Who are these people who are “at ease”? Searching for this term in the rest of the Old Testament reveals it is those who are nonchalant and uncaring towards others and God. Usually these are the rich and powerful, they scornfully run roughshod over the “little guy.” They have no fear of God. In fact, they give little thought to God or the things of God.
Paul Epstein is a perfect example of such a person. He and his powerful “friends” where able to sexually abuse young women for years because of their wealth and power. Justice finally caught up with him, but for most justice will never catch up with them in this life.
This is why these worshippers cry to God for mercy. We should cry out to God for help every day of the week, but there is something special about crying out to Him on the Sabbath and in the place of His abode. Under the New Covenant, this day is Sunday and this place in the corporate worship of God’s people. This is why I have entitled my next point:
Sunday Mercy
Sunday Mercy
Looking to the Mountain of Glory
Looking to the Mountain of Glory
This Psalm of Ascent begins with a theological and poetic ascent.
First, the psalmist’s eyes look up to “you” and then “to the One enthroned in the heavens” and finally “to the Yahweh our God.” Each of these is a more exalted name than the last. It is to remind us of how great God is.
This is why weekly, corporate worship with God’s people is so important. The daily grind of the world pushes our eyes and spirits down. We need to worship with God’s people to lift our eyes back up so that we will behold the great, I AM, who I AM.
I think of the classic scene of a besieged company of solders gallantly holding off a numerically superior foe. Every soldier has given everything he has, ammo is running low and the company commander is under pressure to surrender, then a cloud of dust is seen in the distance as a great army comes to their rescue. Suddenly shoulders are pulled back, heads are raised, and eyes are brightened as hope flood each and every man’s soul.
This is what Sunday worship does for those who participate, it lifts our war-weary eyes to see the greatness of God coming to our rescue!
Looking as a Powerless Servant
Looking as a Powerless Servant
We can only find this type of mercy when we come in the right attitude. We must come as a powerless servant.
Unlike our proud and arrogant foes, who look to themselves rather than God. We come as verse 2 reminds us as “servants looking to the hand of their master” and “maidservants to the hand of their mistress.” God is in control and we are not, unless God’s hand delivers us there is no deliverance.
The reason so many people don’t find the power of God’s mercy in weekly worship is because they come seeing God as a partner, rather than a master. It is a humbling thing to be a servant and most people do not want to relate to God in this way. Besides, if God is our Master we must obey Him!
What I am trying to say is “You can’t have your cake and eat it too!” People want to feel refreshed and empowered by worship, but they don’t want to give their lives to the Lord, but there is only one way to know the power of God’s hand and that is by being a servant looking to that hand!
Conclusion: “Sunday Worship is the Most Important Meal of the Week”
Conclusion: “Sunday Worship is the Most Important Meal of the Week”
Breakfast is known as the most important meal of the day, especially if your day is going to be filled with hard mental or physical labor. Breakfast fortifies us for the challenges of the day ahead.
I would like to close this message by suggesting that “Sunday worship is the most important meal of the week”.
Many claim they do not have time for Sunday worship, just as many claim they do not have time for a morning breakfast. Those who make such claims are deceiving themselves. Without taking the time for breakfast they are less efficient. Skipping breakfast is in fact a great time waster. Skipping Sunday worship is a great life waster. Your oppressors are gunning for you, as soon as you step out of this building, they will have you their cross hairs! If you are not fortified by hearing God’s Word, singing His praises and being encouraged by His people you will not survive for long.