Sermon in Outlook 17.07.2005

In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost, let us quieten in prayer and thanksgiving.

Dear Heavenly Father, we, Thy grace children, come unto You today with hearts of prayer. We pray that You would once again give Your blessing to these services and the services of Your children wherever they are gathered today in Thy kingdom of grace upon this earth. Give each and every one of us hearts, ears of a disciple, so that we could listen attentively and keep in our hearts that which You have to give us today through Your Spirit, through a biblical life, poor sinful servant.

Give us hearts of compassion. Give us hearts of empathy that we could remember and would remember all those who are God’s, whether in age or in sickness or in work or in school, whatever the case may be. Give them childlike faith to continue on this pathway that one day will take us to our everlasting home in heaven. Amen.

We thank You, dear Father, that You have given us governments, a land wherein we can dwell in total peace and freedom. We also thank You, dear Father, for that great gift of Your Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus, who gave Himself as a full and complete sacrifice for our sins and the sins of the whole world. One who knew no sin, but yet took our sins and made atonement for them on Calvary's cross on that first Good Friday.

And we can continue in this confidence and pray as Your Son has taught us: Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.

I will read from the first psalm. I will read the first psalm in its entirety, which is six verses. And before reading this text and endeavoring to consider this according to God's Spirit and God's will, I'm happy to bring greetings from the summer services where we had the good fortune to attend, where we were able to meet and visit around the throne of grace with many, many friends in faith, brothers and sisters. Not only from the Seattle summer services, but from Spokane, Longview, and Vancouver as well, as well as High River where we stopped for a few hours on our way home. We are all remembered here. And how wonderful it is that God remembers us and His own wherever they are.

Also, I'd like to thank you, brothers and sisters, for the gift that you have given me as well as all the other speaker brothers. God will repay you.

The words of this first psalm are as follows, in Jesus' name:

Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law doth he meditate day and night.

And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water that bringeth forth his fruit in season.

His leaf also shall not wither, and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

The ungodly are not so, but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.

Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish. Amen.

I have, I never read this first psalm that I don't remember my dear beloved mother and dad, who, through faith, like we have a living hope to be, were acceptable to God and are there in the heaven of glory, or shall we say in the bosom of Abraham, waiting for that great trump, where all one day will rise.

Whenever there was a question whether it was acceptable in my childhood, in my youth, to be where many times especially a youth wants to be, there are many things out there in the world that do attract us. There are many, many occasions, celebrations that are acceptable for a child of God. But there are many more that are not acceptable, that way a child of God cannot partake of them with a good and an undefiled conscience.

My parents would often quote this: that blessed is a man who walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, and especially this, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

Now, this, in a few words, portrays very deeply that which is out there on the outside of God's kingdom. The counsel of the ungodly, the advice of the ungodly, those that are on the outside of God's kingdom, whether they are in their own righteousness or the freedom of the flesh of the world, their advice, their lifestyle, is not acceptable to a child of God. And when we avoid such a lifestyle, God's word, the psalmist here, God, through the psalmist, assures us that we are blessed or we are fortunate when through the power of faith we can avoid those that are not acceptable.

I can remember back to the times just prior to the heresy and leading up to the last heresy. The sport of hockey has always been such an overwhelming sport in Canada, like in many other countries. It was then as it is now. And there was leniency in the congregation, in individuals, I would say, including my wife and I in our very first years of marriage.

And I remember going to a hockey game. It was a provincial final of players in one of the neighboring towns. And my brother, my oldest dear brother, who also is resting now in the bosom of Abraham, was not happy, was not pleased with our going to that game. And he tried to advise us that this is not a place to go. And he may have well have used the same quote in Bible, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

There was one game we attended and it was a relatively normal, I would say, game, a playoff game, and then the last game of that playoff. That arena we were at was just packed. There wasn't an empty seat in the place. And the crowd was just wild. And it all of a sudden hit me. I guess when we had been, even though we were living in this leniency, but still there was that God's Spirit still speaking to us. And my wife and I, as well as that other dear brother and sister in faith, we all got this feeling that what an unsafe place to be. What if this roof falls down on us? We are the only believers in this whole building of thousands and thousands of people. And it gave us such a scary feeling that we were happy to get out of there. And I guess there has, I haven't attended a hockey game since.

It is good that we remember these things, especially you dear young brothers and sisters. You carry that same place. You carry the same desires as I and many, and all others have carried in their day. These desires, they don't disappear, but they change and they take a different face as a person yet a few years added to them.

But it is good that each and every one of us would remember this precious instruction of God even in this first song: Or sitteth in the seat of the scornful or standeth in the way of the sinners where sinners are. We are all sinners and we admit this, but we are pardoned sinners.

Those that are in those places of the scornful and the ungodly and the sinners, as it uses the expression here, are those that are in the world of darkness on the outside of God's kingdom.

But his delight is in the law of the Lord and in his law does he meditate day and night.

Someone in their own righteousness could very easily take this as a defense for themselves that to live perfectly and righteously according to the law of the Ten Commandments would give a child or a person, a so-called religious person in this world, some merits for their salvation.

But this law that the psalmist here is writing about is not the law of the Ten Commandments, but it is the law of the Spirit. Like it is, I was trying to find it in my Bible just before the services, but I couldn't. It is either Ezekiel or one of the other writers of the Old Testament writes about this law of the Lord. He says, I will put my law, I will write my law in their hearts and I will write it on their lips and I will be their God and they will be my children.

This is that law of the Spirit, that one who is a child of God in God's kingdom. Even we do respect that, the law of the Ten Commandments. And certainly we don't want to willfully live contrary to those laws. But we understand that law, that it is a good law and a perfect law. But no one can be saved by adhering to that law. For one has fallen short of one small part of that law, they are guilty of the whole law, as Jesus himself has said.

But this law is, as the Apostle Paul says, it's a schoolmaster bringing one on to Christ. And this law of the Spirit, then when one becomes a child of God, they are guided by this grace as it entitles that. The writer says that this grace has appeared teaching us to live soberly and righteously in this present time. This is the law of the Spirit.

But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in his law does he meditate day and night.

I have sometimes thought years ago already that how can a person meditate on this law of the Lord at night when you're fast asleep? But I wonder if you brothers or sisters have had an experience like I have and very likely have where we're living in our dream world at night where we have no control over our dreams.

But if there is something that comes up in your dream or your action in your dream world that would be unethical or immoral, does not that even that dream spirit dictate to us? We immediately become aware in our dream that this is not acceptable for our child.

But I had such a dream even last night. And I marveled at this. And I don't think it's wrong to even consider it in this way. That law of the Spirit controls our dreams even.

And how wonderful it is that we have such a good and such a loving and a caring God in His Spirit, in His kingdom of grace upon this earth, that we can meditate on that law day and night. In other words, it's a faith of 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, that we endeavor in as children of God.

He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water that bringeth forth his fruit in his season. His leaves shall not wither, and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

I think we haven't had experiences this past summer. We were away during all those heavy, heavy rains, but we certainly saw the result of those rains and that big amount of moisture when we came back, how the hay and the crops and the trees were so flourishing.

These people of scripture lived in a land that was much more arid than ours. And this is why the pictures of comparing faith to streams of water and green pastures and many, many other incidences in scripture was very commonplace to them, as it is and had been many times to us.

I've thought of this place in scripture where we had problems getting trees to grow on our farm because of those drought years. We even lost trees because of winter kill as a result of drought, lack of rain in the fall.

I remember planting trees and putting in irrigation emitters like all of the Holy Land, so much of the Holy Land is under irrigation. No, it wasn't in those days. They were dependent on the rain that came from the skies.

But I remember those trees that we planted that were irrigated that first summer. It was way, way late into October and they had big green leaves on them.

This is a picture that the psalmist sees of a child of God that's planted and rooted and grounded in the grace of God and His grace kingdom.

He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water that bringeth forth his fruit in his season.

We don't see those fruits like we heard to our dear Finnish brother on whether it Friday night or whether it in Saskatoon on Thursday night. We don't see that fruit in ourselves. We do see it in our brothers and in our sisters.

But it is good that we don't see that fruit in ourselves. We only see our own corruption and sinfulness. And when we are aware of our own sinfulness, this is how God can keep us near this throne of grace or this rivers of living water where the gospel of the forgiveness of sins is preached unto all people whenever we have and we do have a need for it.

And his leaves shall not wither and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

Many times we have intents and goals that maybe are more than we need. And it is good to have an eye for the future and work towards the future. But it is good to remember that we can plan. But it is God. We must trust and believe that it is God that allows things to happen.

And I many times remember my dad and I have mentioned that before. When back in the days when dad was farming and raising a large family and there were many, many drought years. And dad in his own thoughts would express vocal thoughts that had he taken a homestead further west and even 30 miles further west into that Dinsmore area, they never had a crop failure there. If they did it was a very minor one.

And he many times thought that he would have prospered like all those others prospered out there throughout those dry bad years. But in that very same breath he would say that it was God's plan and God's love towards him that God kept him humble through difficult times.

He said that those that live up in that range 11 area as it is called, he said there are no believers there. Would he have been able to keep his faith under those circumstances?

I remember a letter that my grandfather who lived with the boys of his third marriage sent to my uncle. Many of you may have read the translation at the centennial display here that we had an outlook a year ago. It was on display there.

And he lamented. He was living there in that same area lamenting to his believing son how there are no believers there. There was no one there to discuss the way and the journey.

And he said his only pastime or pleasure is that he's able to still in good enough physical shape that he's able to walk. He must have been in his high 80s at the time.

But this is so important that we would consider these things when we plan moves or when we plan our life ahead of us that we would not go into such places where there are no believers or a few believers.

Sometimes our work does take us there. And many times I have said even with my own children that well maybe it's okay for a year or two or three until the children get big enough that they go to school.

But certainly it seems that it's so important for a child of God to have the fellowship that we get and the strength that we receive from one another, our escorts on this precious journey of faith.

Whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

When God blesses our endeavors it is certainly sure to prosper. Many times, like we already remembered, things don't prosper but we need to trust and we must trust that God knew better.

The ungodly are not so but they are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.

You have seen those same people as I have seen throughout my years and now in our retirement years and out with our neighbors and how many of them even though they are religious people we could say and profess spirituality but when we discuss and I have discussed with some of them the walk of life and the righteousness of life which follows the righteousness of faith and different issues that are before us even at right now and have been for some time such as the government's society recognizing homosexual marriages which is truly and very straightforwardly contrary to God's word and certainly not acceptable for a child of God.

God calls it an abomination. Like I told my neighbor, what could be worse? What is a heavier stronger word than an abomination? A terror before the eyes of the heavenly Father.

But they rationalize the way society tries to rationalize that well maybe it was not acceptable in the days of scripture but we are living a time now where it is acceptable.

Where I've tried to tell them that and we believe as children of God we believe that God's word is the same yesterday today and forever. God's word will not change. What was sin in the past will continue to be sin regardless of what the laws or the governments or the judges or society deems as sin and what isn't sin.

And this is just one small example how those that are on the outside of God's kingdom are like chaff which the wind drive away.

There's another example of a farming area and the chaff that flies around at harvest time. I'm sure we've all seen that how that chaff goes willy-nilly wherever the wind or the little dust eddies take it.

Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment. It does not, will not withstand judgment.

Why will not the ungodly withstand judgment? Because they're still judged according to their sins. Their sins are not forgiven.

We, the children of God, can and will withstand this judgment because our sins by and through the grace and the redemptive work of our Lord and Savior Jesus have been removed from us as far as the east is from the west.

We are clothed in that righteousness of Christ which was seen on the mount of transfiguration as was preached also by that dear brother from Finland, that garment that Christ appeared in in transfiguration where there wasn't a ripple or a spot in it.

We spiritually are with our sins when our sins have been forgiven us we are dressed in that righteousness.

So the judgment we have already been judged by grace here in time so there is no judgment for us. Jesus judged our sins on Calvary's cross and was victorious with his holy innocent body and with his holy innocent blood.

Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

I looked at that in the Finnish Bible and it said that they cannot, sinners, those with unforgiven sins on their consciences who are on the outside of His great kingdom cannot fit into or keep company with the righteous.

Okay, who are those righteous? And not the self-righteous but those that are righteous in Christ.

And we have seen this over and over again how little we have in common. We have neighbors, we have friends who are on the outside of the kingdom but it comes to this most important thing in life for us as God's children how little we actually have in common with those people.

The only things we have in common is the weather, the forecast, maybe the current conditions, maybe we can discuss political conditions but these again we go our separate ways.

As I have discussed many times on this trip and locally that what a good and precious time in the world it is to be a child of God.

Reading in the papers just after we got back Canada apparently according to the paper is the only country in the world that has not had a terrorist attack attacked by the leader of the terrorist organization that have listed us, our country with all the others.

And we don't know when it will happen as wise of the world say that it is not if it will happen it's when it's going to happen.

But how precious it is brothers and sisters we are under this umbrella of grace in God's kingdom. We are in this house that is built on a rock that the floods and the winds cannot break it down.

It is an everlasting house and one day it will be lifted up from this earth. This kingdom of grace will be lifted up into the kingdom of glory and those that are here in this kingdom of grace at that time will be lifted up with it like the apostle will be caught up in the winds and the clouds and then we will be ever with the Lord.

He also says comfort each other with this. We can take great comfort in this brothers and sisters this on this very day of grace we are in good hands we are in good keeping.

Therefore the ungodly shall not withstand judgment nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous but the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

Here again when we are righteous to the redemption work of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ the Lord will continue to know us and remember us and those that are yet on the outside of God's kingdom.

What can we do brothers and sisters except pray that God would give them the grace to take the steps of repentance as we pray for those and especially those that are near and dear to us that through their deceitfulness of the enemy of the soul they have lost faith and good conscience.

Let us pray for each other and for on behalf of those that are yet on the outside God's kingdom so that they would not perish on that last day.

But how wonderful it is that we can cleave unto those great promises of God and you brothers and sisters today what better message is there to hear than that you can believe your sins forgiven in Jesus name and precious atonement blood and will you brothers and sisters preach this gospel to me also.

We can have, we through the grace of God can continue until we each and everyone have reached that place where time begins but has no end in Jesus name. Amen.

The Lord bless us and keep us. The Lord make His face shine upon us and be gracious unto us. The Lord lift up His countenance upon us and give us peace. In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost. Amen.

To God be the glory.