MY HOPE IS IN YOU: The Heart Broken by Injustice 6-26-22

MY HOPE IS IN YOU: The Heart Broken by Injustice 6-26-22

INTRODUCTION

“Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong. They are free from common human burdens; they are not plagued by human ills. Therefore pride is their necklace; they clothe themselves with violence. From their callous hearts comes iniquity; their evil imaginations have no limits. They scoff, and speak with malice; with arrogance they threaten oppression. Their mouths lay claim to heaven, and their tongues take possession of the earth. Therefore their people turn to them and drink up waters in abundance. They say, “How would God know? Does the Most High know anything?” This is what the wicked are like— always free of care, they go on amassing wealth. Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure and have washed my hands in innocence. All day long I have been afflicted, and every morning brings new punishments. If I had spoken out like that, I would have betrayed your children. When I tried to understand all this, it troubled me deeply till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny. Surely you place them on slippery ground; you cast them down to ruin. How suddenly are they destroyed, completely swept away by terrors! They are like a dream when one awakes; when you arise, Lord, you will despise them as fantasies. When my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered, I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you. Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Those who are far from you will perish; you destroy all who are unfaithful to you. But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds.”

                              Psalm 73:1-28 NIV

I.  HINDSIGHT’S WISDOM

“Life must be lived forward.  Unfortunately it can only be understood backward.”

                         Anonymous

               A.  An Informed position

“Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart.”

                              Psalm 73:1

               B.  The real problem

“But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold.”

                              Psalm 73:2 NIV

“For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.”

                              Psalm 73:3 NIV

II.  LIFE’S INEQUITIES

               A.  The Danger of the Unknown

“They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong. They are free from common human burdens; they are not plagued by human ills. Therefore pride is their necklace; they clothe themselves with violence. From their callous hearts comes iniquity; their evil imaginations have no limits. They scoff, and speak with malice; with arrogance they threaten oppression. Their mouths lay claim to heaven, and their tongues take possession of the earth.”

                              Psalm 73:4-9 NIV

               B.  The Arrogance of the Wicked

“They say, “How would God know? Does the Most High know anything?””

                              Psalm 73:11 NIV

               C.  Perspective, perspective, perspective

“This is what the wicked are like— always free of care, they go on amassing wealth.”

                              Psalms 73:12 NIV

III.  FRUSTRATION’S RESPONSE

"I never have frustrations. The reason is to wit: If at first I dont succeed, I quit"

                         Anonymous

It requires wisdom to understand wisdom; the music is nothing if the audience is deaf.

                         Anonymous

               A.  Vanity

“Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure and have washed my hands in innocence.”

                              Psalm 73:13 NIV

               B.  No hope

“All day long I have been afflicted, and every morning brings new punishments.”

                              Psalm 73:14 NIV

               C.  Too honest

“If I had spoken out like that, I would have betrayed your children.”

                              Psalm 73:15 NIV

               D.  Vexing

“When I tried to understand all this, it troubled me deeply”

                              Psalm 73:16 NIV

IV.  WISDOM’S ANSWERS

“till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny.”

                              Psalm 73:17 NIV

               A.  The End of the Wicked

“Then I understood their final destiny. Surely you place them on slippery ground; you cast them down to ruin. How suddenly are they destroyed, completely swept away by terrors! They are like a dream when one awakes; when you arise, Lord, you will despise them as fantasies.”

                              Psalm 73:17b-20 NIV

               B.  The Beginning of Wisdom

“When my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered, I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you.”

                              Psalm 73:21-22 NIV

               C.  The Instruction of God 

“Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory.”

                              Psalms 73:23-24 NIV

V.  WHAT ASAPH LEARNED

               Principle #1: God is my resource.

“Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you.”

                              Psalm 73:25 NIV

               Principle #2: God is my strength.

“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”

                              Psalm 73:26 NIV

               Principle #3: God is responsible for justice.

“Those who are far from you will perish; you destroy all who are unfaithful to you.”

                              Psalm 73:27 NIV

“Far be it from you to do such a thing—to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?””

                              Genesis 18:25 NIV

               Principle #4: I am responsible for my nearness to God.

“But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds.”

                              Psalm 73:28 NIV

“Come near to God and he will come near to you.”

                              James 4:8a NIV

VI.  THE DIFFERENCE PERSPECTIVE MAKES

When I think of perspective I am often reminded of a conversation between Nicholas Mokelke and his son in the summer he turned four. That spring, Mark had asked for a spot in the family garden to call his own. He turned the soil, broke the clumps, and planted his favorite vegetable--corn. Toward the middle of July, Mark was concerned that his corn was not growing fast enough. His dad tried to reassure him that the corn was doing just fine by quoting him the familiar benchmark used by farmers, "...knee-high by the fourth of July."

NIcholas’ lesson came with his retort: "My knees or yours?"

                              Nicholas Mokelke, Bits and Pieces, September 19, 1991, p. 2.

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.”

                              Matthew 5:8 NIV

“Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?””

                              Hebrews 13:5-6 NIV

“All the Way My Savior Leads Me” by Fanny Crosby in 1875

All the way my Savior leads me;

  What have I to ask beside?

Can I doubt His tender mercy,

  Who through life has been my Guide?

Heav’nly peace, divinest comfort,

  Here by faith in Him to dwell!

For I know, whate’er befall me,

  Jesus doeth all things well,

For I know, whate’er befall me,

  Jesus doeth all things well

CONCLUSION

Hindsight’s wisdom, frustration’s response, wisdom’s answer, what Asaph learned, the difference perspective makes.

CHALLENGE

What will you do with what you have just heard?  How will you respond to the Holy Spirit working within you?  The Challenge is intended to give us an opportunity to contemplate what God is calling us to do in our lives.  Consider these questions and write down your answers. 

               1.  Have you suffered injustice?

               2.  What is your greatest frustration with injustice?

               3.  Who can you help who is suffering injustice

               4.  What have you learned from injustice?

               5.  Does your perspective need adjusted?

INVITATION

It is our custom to offer an "invitation" following the preaching of the Word.  You may want to follow Jesus.  You may want to proclaim your faith.  You may want to repent (stop doing ungodly things and start doing Godly things).  Perhaps you want to be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  Possibly, if you have already responded to God’s call in these ways, you would like to become a member of Kenwood Church.  If you have been moved by the Holy Spirit to make a decision in your life, you can come forward now.  If you would like, I would be honored to speak with you following the service about what God is doing in your life.