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THE FATHER PROTECTS THE SONPSALM 16:1-11INTRODUCTION Over the years I’ve seen a few episodes of the first of the reality TV shows, “Survivor.” In case you’ve never watched any episode let me fill you in on the basic premise of this mother of all game shows. In the beginning episode of the show each season, two groups of people or tribes, as they are called in the show, are placed in a desolate location, usually tropical. They are given little to nothing with which to survive in the deserted place. The producers of the show then set up competitions for the two tribes. By winning in these competitions you gain tools, blankets, food and other supplies for your tribe with which to survive. Many of the competitions require the participation of the entire tribe but sometimes the competition is just between two people, one chosen from each tribe. In those competitions, the one member represents the entire tribe and if that person wins the competition the entire team gets whatever was promised to the winner and the loser of the competition must return to his or her tribe empty handed. It’s very much like what I attempted to illustrate in the children’s sermon. All the promised benefits come to the group if the representative of the group wins the game and all the negative consequences come to the group if their representative fails to win. Why am I bringing this up on Easter Sunday, the day we remember and rejoice in the resurrection of Jesus? The reason I bring this up is because of what the apostle Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:20-23. This chapter is about the resurrection of Christ. These particular verses give the key to understanding how Jesus rising from dead makes a difference for all who trust him. Look with me at what Paul says, “But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes those who belong to him.” According to these verses there are only two groups of human beings, two tribes. One tribe are all those who are “in Adam” and the other tribe are all those who are “in Christ.” Every human being is born “in Adam.” God made a promise to Adam as the representative of all his descendants. He told Adam that if he ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil that he and all of his descendants would die, if he didn't eat, he all and all his descendants would live. Adam disobeyed the command of God, he ate from the tree and so he and all of his descendants died. This death is not merely physical death, though that is included, but spiritual death and hell. Adam and all of his kin were immediately separated from God’s presence and power. Death came to the entire human race through the one man, Adam. However, notice also that as in Adam all die, so all who are in Christ, live. Jesus obeyed where Adam disobeyed. Thus Jesus gained for himself and all who belong to him the life that God promised to all who will obey him. That life is resurrection life in God’s presence forever. Jesus is the firstfruits, that is, he is the first in a long line of human beings who will be raised from the dead. All those who will be raised are called, “those who belong to Jesus.” In John 17 Jesus identifies all those who belong to him as all those whom the Father has given to him and thus who believe in him. In other words, all who are trusting in Jesus alone to save them from their sins are those who are in him and who will be raised from the dead with him. How does this relate to Psalm 16? Both the apostle Peter and the apostle Paul tell us that the resurrection of Jesus was the fulfillment of what God had promised in Psalm 16 to his Messiah. The “I” who is speaking in this psalm is Jesus through the pen of King David. He is the Holy One who God did not abandon to the pit. But, as we just saw, the resurrection of Jesus was not just for him but for all who belong to him. Therefore, this psalm is Jesus speaking not just for himself but for all whom he represents. In this psalm we discover not only how Jesus lived his life and is now living his life but also how all who belong to him live now and will live in the future. The foundational request of Jesus to his Father in verse one is that the Father would keep him safe because he has taken refuge in him. This is the condition in which Jesus lived his entire life. He took refuge in God the Father like baby chicks take refuge under the wings of their mother. In verse two this taking refuge in the Lord is stated differently. He submits to God as his master and he has determined that to know God is the only thing he needs or wants. He has no other good besides the good of knowing God. This is exactly the opposite of how Adam lived. Adam decided that there was way more good to be had outside of God, that is why he ate from the tree. Adam and all of his descendants believe that God alone is not sufficient but that there are many other good things to be had besides God. This is the heart of what sin is, preferring and loving created things more than and instead of the Creator. Jesus expected God the Father, because he took refuge in him, because he believed that having God was the only “good” that he needed, to guard his life, like a shepherd guards his flock of sheep or bodyguards protect their king. All the benefits promised in this psalm are due to the fact that the speaker, who we know to be Christ, has taken refuge in God alone and finds God alone to be what he needs. Therefore we are preserved because God preserves Jesus and all who are in him. We, because we are in Christ, pray this prayer with Jesus and because he is our representative, we gain all the benefits promised in this psalm to this one who seeks refuge. We are going to examine three results that came to Jesus and through him to us from his taking refuge in God alone. MAIN POINT Jesus Christ, as our representative, found refuge in God alone, therefore…
I. He and all who are in him delight in the fellowship of Christians (vv. 1-4) It is so encouraging to hear the Lord Jesus say that the object of all his delight and affection are the saints who live in the land. The “saints who live in the land” are the church and all who belong to it. How do I know that this is referring to Christians? In the NT, this same word, “saints” is used scores of times to refer to Christians. It means “those who are set apart for God, who belong to God.” Is that not what it means to be a Christian, that we belong to God through Christ? Jesus views Christians as excellent or glorious persons with whom he is completely delighted. How can this be? If I were to ask you how Jesus is feeling about you right now, you probably would not say that he is delighted with you. All true Christians know that we are far less than we ought to be. We find it difficult to be delighted with ourselves because we are so aware of our sinfulness. However, when Jesus thinks about us he does not think about us in our sin but he thinks about us as the fruit of his labor for God. He died to bring men and women to God. He gave his life so that all who believe will have eternal life. He is the good shepherd who laid down his life for the sheep. He doesn’t view us in our sin he views us the recipients of his grace. He views us as those for whom he came and lived and suffered and died. Our value to him is not because of who we are considered in ourselves but who we are considered as the ones for whom he died and for whom he rose. I’m coaching my daughter Jaimee’s soccer team. There are 11 first and second graders on the team. Most of them have never played soccer before and so they are not very good. Even the ones who have played before are not very good soccer players. But I love going to practice with these children and coaching them in the games. Why do I love them? They are my team. They were assigned to me by the staff at the YMCA and I was told they belong to me as my team. I am giving my time and effort for them and so I delight in them. I don’t delight in them because of their soccer ability or even their potential as soccer players. If my delight in them was based upon their performance, I would not be delighted with them. I delight in them because they have been given to me and I am giving my life for them. I also delight in them because I love soccer and love to see others come to love soccer. I am giving myself to them so they will also love soccer. I will do anything for them so that they will become better soccer players who appreciate the game of soccer more. Jesus is delighted in us not because we are such great Christians or because we’re going to be good Christians in the future but because God the Father gave us to him and he gave his life for us. He loves the Father and he is delighted with helping us come to know and love his Father. We belong to him by the gift of God’s grace and so he delights in us. But now notice that in v. 4 he does not delight in those who run after other gods. He wants nothing to do with those who reject his Father and trust in false gods. He will not condone or participate in their worship of other gods. He will not even mention the names of those who energetically pursue false gods. How do we put this verse together with statements like these from the NT: “I have come to seek and to save that which is lost.” Jesus is the “friend of sinners.” “This is a trustworthy saying, deserving of full acceptance, Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners…” How can Jesus want nothing to do with those who run after other gods and yet have come into the world to save sinners, i.e., those who run after other gods? How do we put these realities together? First we are to think of both of these verses in their ultimate and complete fulfillment which will only take place when Jesus comes again as the judge of the whole earth. There is a day coming when all of humanity will be gathered before him and he will separate the saints from those who have run after other gods and he will spend an eternity expressing his delight in the saints and he will shut out the idol worshippers into the outer darkness, away from the splendor of his glory. There is a day coming after which he will never mention the names of any of those who have pursued other gods. Second, right now each person sitting in this room and living in the entire world is in one of these two groups. Right now either Jesus is delighting in you because you are a saint by his death and resurrection or you are a person who is running after other gods and he wants nothing to do with you in your current condition. The difference between the state of affairs right now and that which will exist when Christ returns, is that you can still move from being an enemy of Christ to becoming his friend. Today is yet the day of salvation. It is not yet the Day of Judgment. So I urge everyone here to flee from the wrath to come and to give yourself to Christ right now so that you become a saint in whom is all his delight. Not only does Jesus delight in the saints but all who are in Christ join him in delighting in saints and refusing to condone or participate in the false worship of those who are running after other gods. This is simply saying what is said hundreds of times throughout the entire Bible. The chief evidence that you are a saint is that you love other saints and you hate the false worship of false gods. Jesus said, “A new command I give to you, that you should love one another as I have loved you. By this all men will know you are my disciples.” Later, John in his letter says, “Beloved ones, let us love one another… Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.” Love for and delight in other Christians because they are Christians is the primary evidence that you are a Christian. If you do not love those whom Christ loves, then you do not love Christ. It is that simple. It is a deadly thing to dislike or hate or ignore a person who professes to be a Christian. In addition, we, along with Jesus hate all false teaching about God and all false worship of false gods. We are repeatedly commanded to have nothing to do with false teachers and false worship. Paul says at the end of his letter to the Romans, “I urge you brothers to watch out for those who cause divisions and who put obstacles in your way that are contrary to what you have learned. Keep away from them.” In his letter to the Galatians he says, “If anyone is preaching to you a gospel other than the one you accepted, let him be eternally condemned.” Because our leader delights in Christians and despises the false worship of false gods, so we delight in Christians and we reject all false teaching and false worship of false gods. Jesus Christ, as our representative, found refuge in God alone, therefore…
II. He and all who are in him always live in security and hope (vv. 5-8) In vv. 5-8 we find out how it is that Jesus lived his life while on earth and how we who belong to Christ are to live our lives now. First, in vv. 5-6, in contrast to those who run after other gods Jesus and all who are in him have God as their chosen portion, their cup and the one who will protect their lot. (NOTE: The NIV on v. 5 is a bad translation. The ESV has it right, “The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup, you hold my lot secure.”) That which they have inherited is delightful to them and pleasant. Most of the language being used in these two verses comes from the books of Deuteronomy and Joshua. When Israel entered the land and drove out the Canaanites, then they divided up the land of Canaan between the twelve tribes by casting lots. The boundary lines to these portions of land are described in the book of Joshua. Think about how that would feel. These are former slaves who owned nothing in Egypt. They have spent the last 40 years wandering in the desert as nomadic shepherds, owning no homes and no land. Now they are being given homes and fields and orchards and vineyards for free, with no labor on their part. If you've ever watched that show where they build new houses for families that are in some sort of difficulty and seen the joy of the families when they first see their new home, that is something like the Israelites would have felt. Jesus says that he feels as those who received their assigned plot of land and when they went to live there they discovered it was an awesome, fertile, well-watered piece of property. It’s a piece of property that God himself protects. What is that pleasant inheritance, that delightful piece of property? It is God himself who is the inheritance. What is really cool is that throughout the passages describing the division of the land God says time and again, “But to the tribe of Levi, Moses had given no inheritance; the Lord the God of Israel , is their inheritance, as he promised them.” Just as God is the portion, the inheritance of the Levites, who are the priests of Israel, so Jesus, our high priest, receives God as his portion. And also, all those who are made priests by Christ, that is every Christian, also have God as their inheritance. The property Jesus possesses and will possess is God himself. He is also our inheritance, the property we have been given through and with Christ. To possess God is a pleasant and delightful thing. Why is it delightful to have God as your possession? Verses 7-8 give two reasons. First, it means that God is present to counsel and instruct. This is how it was with Jesus. He said in John 5:20, “…the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does.” The Father continually counseled Jesus and instructed him in how to live in a way that would please him. He continually reminded Jesus of the glory that was coming to him through the cross. Now, we also, by the Spirit have God’s will revealed to us. Jesus again said, "I will ask the Father and he will give to you another Counselor, the Spirit of Truth… The Spirit will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine, that is why I said that the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you.” God himself, by his Spirit, through Christ daily teaches us about the glory of Christ. The counsel God gives is not referring to his telling us what job he wants us to have or who he wants us to marry or what car we should buy. Rather God reveals to us the greatness of Christ and his salvation. He counsels us with the truths and promises of the gospel which are infinitely better and more secure than any job or spouse will ever be. The second reason that having God as our inheritance is so delightful is found in v. 8. With God as our chosen portion who is always at our right hand we can never be shaken. Here is the secret of contentment, security and hope. If God is your portion and your inheritance that means you have no other portion or inheritance, like the Levites. You have everything you need in having God and he can never be taken from you. Jesus wanted only one thing and that was to bring glory to his Father, to please him. Because that was his only goal and all that he wanted; he did not fear the cross. He could face the cross and endure it without being shaken because his only purpose was to glorify God and he knew this was the means to God’s glory. If he would have had a different goal, then he would have been shaken. If the goal of life was to live a long time then he had lots to fear when he was dragged before Pilate. If the goal of life was to be respected by others, then Jesus had much to fear. But if his goal was to glorify God, then he had nothing to fear. Pilate, Herod, the Sanhedrin, nobody could harm him in any way because none of them could prevent him from having God as his portion. Many years ago I was counseling a man whose wife had committed adultery. He was terrified of what the future was going to bring. He was terribly shaken. As we talked, this is what I told him. If the purpose of life is to have a faithful wife and an intact, happy family so your children can grow up in a stable, loving home, then you have a lot to be afraid of. Your wife’s actions have placed the goal of life in great jeopardy and you will quite possibly lose everything that matters in life. However, if the goal of life is to be loved by God and to go to heaven and live a life that reveals the sufficiency of Christ, then you have nothing to fear. What your wife has done and what may happen in the future cannot take anything that matters from you. You cannot be shaken. This is what v. 8 means. It does not mean that if you fix your attention on God then nothing bad can happen to you. Christ set God before himself and had God at his right hand in ways you never will and yet Christ was betrayed, abandoned, tortured, mocked and killed and yet in it all he was never shaken. Let that sink in, you can have all your friends abandon you, be betrayed by a close friend, be tortured and killed and never be shaken. If God is always before you, always at your right hand, if he is your chosen portion, then nothing and no one can harm you because nothing and no one can stop God from loving you or stop you from living like a Christian, you cannot be shaken. Jesus Christ, as our representative, found refuge in God alone, therefore…
III. He and all who are in him are raised from the dead and live in eternal joy (vv. 9-11) These are the verses quoted by both Peter and Paul when preaching sermons to Jewish people as evidence that the Messiah would rise from the dead and because Jesus rose from the dead, therefore he must be the Messiah. David, who wrote the psalm, cannot be referring to himself because he was buried and his body turned to dust and he knew that would happen to him. However, Jesus, though he died and was buried, never experienced the decay and corruption of death. His body was raised from the dead three days after his death. The tomb is empty because God gave life to his body and raised him into the heavens where he is now seated at God’s right hand with a physical body, waiting for that day when he will put all of his enemies under his feet, including the greatest of all enemies, death itself. In short Jesus will end the curse of God upon this earth and restore the heavens and the earth to it original condition, free from sin and from the miseries brought upon this creation by sin. He will give life to our bodies and raise us with new imperishable bodies to live with him in the new heavens and the new earth forever. His resurrection guarantees our resurrection. Look at how v. 11 describes both what happened to Jesus and what has and will happen to us who are in him. First God made known to Jesus the path of life. What was that path to life? It was his willing death on the cross. The only way for Jesus to obtain the glory of the resurrection and ascension was to die. His death was the path to his life. It is the same for us. His death is our path to life. It is only by means of his death that we will attain to the resurrection from the dead. By his death our sins are paid for and the promise of the Holy Spirit is obtained for us. His death is our path to eternal life with God in our resurrected bodies. What was the joy that Jesus obtained by his death and that we also are going to share in? It is the pleasure of living in God’s presence forever as his beloved sons and daughters. The joy of heaven is that God is there. It was returning to the joy of living in fellowship with his father that carried Jesus through the cross. The psalm ends where it began. If Jesus has God for his only good, if God is his chosen portion, his inheritance, then what better thing could happen than to spend eternity in his presence, at his right hand? Jesus is now living in the joyful glory of heaven with his father. We who are in him are living in the expectation of living in the joy of God's presence forever. Most of us do not think that being in God’s presence is going to be all that exciting. We’re told that we will spend all of eternity praising God and all we can think about is an eternity of singing like we do here on Sunday mornings and let’s face it, most of us wouldn’t enjoy that, even though I think we have very gifted people leading us. What it is like to live forever in God's presence is revealed to us on many occasions in the Scripture. In Isaiah 6 we are told that the two cherubim, who live in God’s presence, for all of eternity sing back and forth to each other, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, the whole earth is full of his glory.” This is the job of these two angels forever. Most of us imagine one angel going, “holy, yawn, holy, yawn, holy is the Lord God Almighty, big yawn, the whole earth is full of his glory.” Then he has to kick the other one to wake him up and tell him it's his turn. I want you to know that is not how the angels act in God’s presence. I had the opportunity to attend several UI football games a number of years ago. Illinois athletic teams are called the "Fighting Illlini." They have this cheer where they divide the stadium in half and then one half of 60,000 people scream at the top of their lungs, “I-L-L” then the other half screams back, “I-N-I”. People don’t do this half-hearted. They are jumping out of their seats and screaming. Why do they do this? They love the Illini. They are impressed with them and can’t help themselves. They do it out of delight, not out of duty. The God who made the heavens and the earth is infinitely more impressive than a football team and we are going to always be overcome with awe in his presence. No one will have to tell you to be happy or to get excited or to praise God. You will forever, naturally be impressed with him and full of joy that you live in his presence, at his right hand. You will forever be full of joy in heaven because you are in God's presence, at his right hand, not because you get to play golf with your best friends and never feel guilty or because you will be with your favorite people. God is the joy that is heaven and it is only those, who along with Jesus have discovered him to be their joy here, in some small measure, who will join the joy of heaven. Jesus Christ, as our representative, found refuge in God alone, therefore…
© Copyright 2006 John Swanson.
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