We know that when Christ returns He will come in judgment upon the wicked of this world.
Read morePSALM 11
Believers must fix their confidence in their God, and and nothing else.
Read morePSALM 10
We see how our deepest emotions can be expressed prayerfully, and be assured of a hearing, through humble recognition of the nature and character of God.
Read morePSALM 9
God’s Justice is Sure
We live in a world that talks a lot about justice. Economic justice, social justice, and racial justice... just to name a few. All the injustice in our world comes down to the sinful human heart. Mankind rejects the moral standard of God revealed in His word, and the end result is that people do what is right in their own eyes. People sin against one another, nations go to war, and all the while those who seek to live righteously face hardship and persecution. Many ask the question, “when will there be justice?”
David begins this psalm by praising God for His righteousness (9:1-12). God is morally right in His nature and in all His works. Divine justice is praiseworthy because it is not capricious, but rather flows out of God’s nature. David has witnessed the judgment of God upon Israel’s enemies in the past (3-6). Yet in the midst of this judgement, God acted as a stronghold for His people (7-10). God does not forget His people and knows their troubles (11-12).
In light of these things, David cries out to God asking for His divine justice (13-20). He asks God to see his plight and be gracious to him (13-14). David desires God to receive even more glory in His deliverance of His people once again (14). God will judge the wicked of the world (15-18). Divine justice is seen throughout the world as man and nations are caught in their own wicked schemes (15-16). The wicked will face a future in hell; while believers will find rest with God (17-18). David ends this psalm with a call for God to intervene and bring justice to the world. Let those who refused to fear God in reverence, now fear God in His judgement (19-20).
PSALM 8
Through His atoning work, Jesus is redeeming a people for Himself that will rule and reign with Him, the new Adam, at the end of the age.
Read moreAPPLICATION OF THE WORD—THE ONE ANOTHERS #8
1. Have Fellowship With One Another (1 John 1:7)
a. Fellowship—“joint partnership”
b. Chris an fellowship is not sen mental or superficial, but based on a mutual fellowship with Christ.
c. If you have fellowship with God, then you have fellowship with one another—1 John 1:1-3
d. Fellowship practically expressed in the sacrificial love that believers have with one another. If you are walking closely with Christ, you will draw closer to other believers
2. Do Not Lie to One Another (Col 3:9)
a. Prov 6:16-19–God hates lying, it is offensive and detestable to Him.
b. Satan is the “father of lies” (Jn 8:44), and his children naturally lie to one another
c. The Holy Spirit is the “Spirit of Truth” (Jn 14:16-17), and so should God’s people be about the truth
3. Greet One Another with a holy kiss (Rom 16:16)
a. Emphasis is on welcoming one another with warm genuine affection. Without any pretence, like Judas who kissed Jesus.
b. An affectionate greeting is a sign of a loving family. Christ’s sacrifice united believers together into one family
c. “Holy Kiss”—in 1st century would be a familial kiss on the cheek without any connotations of lust or pretence
d. How that welcome is done is based on different cultures
e. Cannot greet one another genuinely if you harbour hate toward your brother/sister
APPLICATION OF THE WORD—THE ONE ANOTHERS #7
1. Serve One Another—1 Peter 4:10/Gal 5:13
a. All believers should use the spiritual gift that they have been given to serve other believers (1 Cor 14:12)
b. Believers are stewards of the grace of God all that we have been given is to be used for the glory of God
c. We must look for ways to serve one another in the church d. Must beware of doing our service to receive praise and recognition from men. Be er to serve others knowing that God sees and will reward us for our loving attitude
2. Be Humble Towards One Another (1 Peter 5:5)
a. In this context elders should be humble knowing that they will be held account by Christ. Young men should be humble and not resentful that they have less authority and become prideful. Peter then tells all of the church to be humble towards one another
b. It is a willingness to assume a lowly position to serve others. It is the opposite of self-exaltation
c. This quality is a fruit of the Gospel
3. Greet One Another (1 Peter 5:14)
a. Are our greetings any more than meaningless ritual?
b. Christian greetings should be more than small talk
c. Romans 16 is the longest greeting list in the Bible. Terms used: servant, helper, my beloved, outstanding, approved, kinsman, choice man, and brethren
APPLICATION OF THE WORD—THE ONE ANOTHERS #6
1. Pray for One Another—James 5:16; 1 Tim 2:1
a. Pray for those in the body of Christ in general. What are people’s needs, challenges, trials, desires, struggles, ect...?
b. Pray that God would use circumstances for His glory and their good (all types of trials God uses for the purpose of the sanctification of the believer and His glory)
c. Pray for the all people—those around you that are lost that God would save them from their sins
d. Ask others around you how can you pray for them
e. Pray for your enemies and those who mistreat you (Luke 6:27-28)
2. Stir Up One Another—Heb 10:24
a. The reality of Christian love should be demonstrated in our personal relationships
b. We are called to gather together regularly for the purpose of mutual encouragement
c. Provoke each other to greater love toward one another in the church
d. We do this by our example of love and good deeds toward others. People see our example and are provoked to do the same
e. We also do this by speaking the truth in love to one another. We all need to be patiently admonished, encouraged, and helped as we live as Christians (1 Thess 5:14).
3. Be Hospitable to One Another—1 Peter 4:9
a. This is a requirement of all believers to be hospitable to one another and love them as Christ loves them.
b. Literally means “lover of strangers”—do you love those believers that you do not know very well and work to change that fact
c. It is an attitude that seeks to bless another and get to know them without the thought of repayment in any way
d. Acts 20:35–“It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
APPLICATION OF THE WORD—THE ONE ANOTHERS #5
A. Seek Good for One Another—(1 Thess 5:15)
1. Love for others is a continual action in which we “Seek” after the good of one another, whether we feel like it or not
B. Confess your sins to One Another—(James 5:16)
1. Confess—to go to God and other and agree with God’s word that you have sinned
2. If you have sinned against someone, go to them and confess it. Not to make you feel better but for the other person’s benefit to facilitate reconciliation.
C. Do Not Speak Against One Another—(James 4:11)
1. It is a sin to speak evil against another believer; it is gossip & slander (Eph 4:31). We shall all give an account of every careless word we say (Matt 12:36)
2. Gossip—to speak about someone that is not present in a way to disparage their reputation (even if it is true)
3. Slander—to damage someone’s reputation through, thoughtless, critical, derogatory, untrue (or unverified) speech
4. Malice—is the attitude of the heart that desires for someone to be brought down or harmed.
5. Careless speech is not an excuse as it still carries malice because it puffs up the person speaking in self-righteousness, and evokes pity & sympathy in others, all the while bringing another person down.
D. Do Not Grumble Against One Another (James 5:9)
1. Grumble—to murmur, complain, groan against someone
2. To find fault with or blame another person for the wrong you are enduring when they haven’t done anything wrong
3. Discontentment with your circumstances, and not getting what you want is the real sin issue.
4. Ultimately we are complaining against God who has orchestrated our circumstances for our good (James 1:2-3)
APPLICATION OF THE WORD—THE ONE ANOTHERS #4
A. Increase & Abound in Love for One Another (1 Thess 3:12)
1. The Command to love one another sums up all the other commands. God’s command to love is primarily an act of obedience
2. Increase & Abound—sense of over owing love for believers that overflows to those in the world (neighbour)
3. Love is unconditional—Matt 5:43-48–love for one’s neighbour and one’s enemy should be a distinctive feature of the Chris an life
B. Comfort One Another (1 Thess 4:18)
1. Comfort—the Thessalonian Church was encouraged with the truth that brought eternal perspective to their circumstances
2. True comfort comes from the word of God compassionately applied to the suffering person’s difficult situation
3. Romans 15:4—Scriptures give us hope
C. Encourage One Another (1 Thess 5:11)
1. Encourage—build each other up to have strength during troubling times
2. Continual act to come alongside each other and remind each other of the truth of who God is and His will for our lives
3. Encouragement
D. Be At Peace With One Another (1 Thess 5:13)
1. In this context, the Thessalonian church did not appreciate their leaders and how hard they were working on their behalf (1 Thess 5:12). They were complaining and criticising them.
2. Paul’s command was that all believers live at peace with each other so that there would be unity in the body
3. Leaders are not to Lord over others and the congregation was not to disregard those over them in the Lord
4. To keep the peace Paul says that all believers are to: “admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all” (1 Thess 5:14).