The Plowman

 

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An exposition of Psalm 2. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday morning, January 1, 2012.

Intro:

I’m the youngest of three boys – that means I might as well have had a target painted on my shirt - a big bull’s eye right here!  I was teased without mercy.  I was the constant butt of ridicule.  My brothers and all their friends used to call me Carbondale Fats.  Once a neighbor overheard me singing to myself in the backyard.  Of course he told everybody so the chant became, “Hey Carbondale, sing us a little ditty.”  Add to the mixture that I was, to put it kindly, gullible as a kid.  Whether it was the perfect stooge to take on a snipe hunt or the idiot child eating hot peppers all afternoon as my oldest brother assured me each time – “This one’s not hot like those others.”

A kid can only take so much.  I used to lie awake at night dreaming about how I could get even.  I plotted and planned how I would get everyone.  Some days they would set me off and I would fly into them with a rage.  My brother would hold me at arms length and laugh while I wore myself out.  A scene not unlike the one described by the Psalmist in Psalm 2.

Text: Psalm 2:1-12

The book of Psalms is a collection of songs – expressing the hopes, dreams and faith of the people of God.

Actually our one book is a collection of five books!
1-41
42-72
73-89
90-106
107-150

Throughout the Psalms we find the full range of emotions.
There is joy and fear; heartache and rejoicing; anger and comfort – it’s all there.
The Psalms are “real”; there is an earthiness about them.
This is where we live.
Perhaps that is why so many of us are drawn to them.

There has been some disagreement among OT scholars as to whether Psalm 2 is a Messianic Psalm.  A Psalm that speaks of Messiah.  Modern scholarship tends to say this is a Psalm is a “coronation psalm.”  One that deals with the coronation of an earthly king.  One who sits on the throne of David.  Perhaps David himself or one of his descendants.  I’m convinced that there is compelling evidence that it is in fact a Messianic Psalm dealing with the reign of the Lord Jesus – “God’s Anointed.”

Scholars will point to similarities in 2 Samuel 7:5-16.
The similarities with this passage are found in the last section from 11-16.
Scholars agree the focus of this section is on the Messiah – the ultimate fulfillment of this promise.

Not to mention that the NT explicitly connects this passage with the Lord Jesus.
At his baptism – Mt. 3:17; Mk. 1:11; Lk. 3:32
Acts 4:24-27; 13:32-33
Hebrews 1:5; 5:5
Rev. 1:5; 2:27; 11:16-18; 12:5

There is also some evidence among various Rabbis and in the early Greek manuscripts of the Psalms that Psalm 1 & 2 were once considered 1 Psalm!  Begins (1:1) and ends (2:12) with blessing.  The rebellion of the nations against God is the outgrowth of walking, standing and sitting.  That God’s Anointed is the perfect fulfillment of the “blessed believer.”

Reading this from the perspective of a Messianic Psalm we discover that:

Thesis: The righteous reign of Christ seals the fate of the wicked while offering hope to the repentant.

There are three things I want you to note in the development of this Psalm.

1. The wicked arrogantly plot to overthrow God’s Sovereign rule.  (2:1-3)
2. The Sovereign Lord dismisses the vain plots of the wicked and declares the reign of His Anointed.  (2:4-9)
3. The Sovereign God graciously warns the wicked and offers hope to the repentant.  (2:10-12)

 

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A message from Romans 12. This message by Andrew Hoyt was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday evening, December 11, 2011.

 

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This is an exposition of 1 Timothy 1:12-17. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday morning, November 27, 2011.

Intro:
We’re all different.  Some of us are more “out-going” than others.  Some more verbal.  Some easily share their feelings or emotions while others are more guarded.  It’s not that one is right and the other is wrong – it’s just that we are different.  Rheadon is learning to deal with it – but I’m not a “great fan.”  When at a ball game I don’t clap and stomp and shout and cheer.  When those cheerleaders tell me to stand up and cheer I sit there in absolute defiance!  Stone faced, arms crossed – “you can’t make me cheer.”  You see I’m perfectly capable of enjoying a game without making a fool of myself.  I just happen to believe what is needed is a little dignity and decorum in the stands.  Let’s show a little class here.  But try as I might – some things bring me to me feet.  Sometimes, without warning, words, phrases fly out of my mouth.  Without a moment’s thought – without being aware of any formation of words – I’m cheering.  When that happens, I quickly survey the room and see if anyone noticed my outburst and then I regain my composer.  Regardless of my disposition some things just demand a response.  Some thing internal says, “You aren’t setting through this one and you aren’t remaining silent!”  I didn’t plan it and I can’t stop it.  The more unexpected and the more incredible – the louder and the more exuberant the response.  Now I don’t care for Pentecostal enthusiasm – but some things will make even a Baptist shout!

The apostle Paul was writing to young Timothy, his son in the Lord and co-laborer in the Gospel, about life in the church.  Paul was writing to inform Timothy about how “one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of truth (3:15).”  Timothy had been placed as pastor of the church in Ephesus.  Ephesus was a dearly loved congregation.  Paul had ministered in the city for three years and bid it a tearful farewell in Acts 20.  This dearly loved fellowship had succumbed to false teaching.  They had abandoned the truth Paul had delivered them and given themselves to endless myths and genealogies.  They had wandered from the truth and lost themselves in vain speculation.  Paul placed Timothy there and then wrote him charging him to stand up to those who were teaching lies.  Stand in opposition to those who like to see themselves as “teachers of the law” but who do not understand what they are talking about or have any real knowledge of the things about which they make such confident boasts.  This letter from the great apostle is very pertinent to us given the similarities in our culture with that of Ephesus.  Ephesus was a pluralistic culture, dominated by materialism and commercialism and enamored with “spirituality.”  Timothy was called to hold the biblical rope in a thoroughly pagan culture not unlike the task before us today.  Our text this morning begins in verse 12 of 1 Timothy chapter 1.

Text: 1 Timothy 1:12-17

Chapter 1:1-11 is about staying the biblical course.
Standing on a sure word with divine enabling.
Demanding doctrinal integrity – the aim of which was love (agape).
Remaining focused on the Gospel and evangelism.

Keep in mind this is a letter not a doctrinal dissertation.
Paul is writing to a dear son in the Lord about a beloved church in great trouble.
Thus it is a passionate letter/expressing his heart not just his head.
Our text is an expression of his heart about the passion of his life – the Gospel.
In fact it contains the Gospel in miniature in verse 15.
Our text is a burst of emotion – but must be read in the context – 1:3-4; 1:18-19.
To loose sight of that is to miss the message.
This is not a peripheral issue – it is central to the faith.
It is the heart and soul of the faith.

As we walk through these verses we learn that…

Thesis: The heart touched by grace erupts in spontaneous praise of God’s saving work.

When you consider what God has done for us in Christ – it is not time to sit on your hands.  It is not time to defiantly sit with arms crossed – unmoved – it is time to cheer!

There are three things I want us to note in our text.

1. Those who have been forgiven are overwhelmed by the magnitude of the mercy shown to them.  (1:12-14)
2. Those who have experienced the grace of salvation joyfully declare the wonder of salvation to all.  (1:15-16)
3. The heart set free bursts forth in praise to God our Savior.  (1:17)

 

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An exposition of Philippians 1:1-11. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Wednesday evening, November 16, 2011.

 

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An exposition of Psalm 75:1-10. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Wednesday evening, November 2, 2011.

 

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An exposition of Psalm 25:1-22. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Wednesday evening, October 26, 2011.

 

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From Psalm 44:1-26. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Wednesday evening, October 19, 2011.

 

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This is an exposition of Psalm 76:1-12. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday evening, October 9, 2011.

Intro:
It has been a source of strength and encouragement for believers through the ages.  In times of tremendous hardship its words have served to inspire and fortify beleaguered hearts.  The embattle Huguenots sang it as they marched into battle against their oppressors.  The English Covenanters sang it at Drumclog in 1679 when they defeated the government troops.  It was sung as a thanksgiving hymn in 1588 marking the defeat of the Spanish Armada.  The Pilgrims loved this psalm and sang it often as they carved a home out of the wilderness of Massachusetts.  This “fighting psalm” of Israel has faithfully served the church through the ages and can be of great encouragement to you in times of peril.  Our text this evening is the 76th Palm.

Text: Psalm 76:1-12

Life is often overwhelming.

We sometime say, “The Lord is not going to give me more than I can handle.”
There is a sense in which that is true – but you must remember – everything is more than you can handle!

Because God is gracious He allows us to be overwhelmed that it might drive us to His loving arms.  What kind of God would allow you to live under the delusion that you can handle things?  No, our God shows us our weakness so that in our weakness we can be made strong.

The life of peace and security is not the life that knows God is there for those things I can’t handle.  Peace and security is found in understanding our complete dependence upon Him.  Do you know when fear entered the world?  In Genesis 3 when Adam rebelled against God.  When Adam said, “I don’t need God to tell me right from wrong/good from evil – I’ll decide for myself.”  He moved from total dependence to independence and it “scared the stuffing out of him!”

Adam said, “We heard you and we hid ourselves for we were naked and afraid.”

To acknowledge your dependence upon God is the first step toward resting in the security of His presence and power.  That is the message of this psalm.

This is a psalm of Asaph.
We do not know the specific context – it is not given to us in the title.
It is obviously in celebration of a great victory won by the hand of God.
There is a connection between psalms 74, 75 and 76.

Psalm 74 sees violence and injustice and cries out for God to do something.
Psalm 75 God says at the appointed time he will respond.
Psalm 76 rejoices in God’s miraculous intervention.

James Boice suggests the passage fits with the invasion of Sennacherib – 2 Kings 18-19.
Note 76:5-6 and 2 Kings 19:35-36.

Regardless of the context the message for us is clear:

Thesis: In times of great distress and struggle the righteous find peace in God’s strong presence.

We find a powerful description of God in this psalm.
It is not just God’s presence but His presence in power and glory.

I know that God cannot be present in any other way – God is God – but I think it is important to use the terms of his strength and might.  Our comfort and encouragement is in a God who is big enough and powerful enough to handle whatever threatens us.  Over and over again in the psalms and elsewhere we read of “God’s right hand,” “God’s mighty arm” etc.

This hymn is divided into three stanzas marked off by the instruction selah meaning, “Stop and meditate on that a minute.”  Give some serious thought to what that implies.

Let’s reflect on these three great truths this evening.

1. The righteous rest in their knowledge of God.  (76:1-3)
2. The righteous glory in God’s intervention on their behalf and stand in awe of His justice.  (76:4-10)
3. The righteous respond to God’s working with acts of worship and service.  (76:11-12)

 

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An exposition of Psalm 39:1-13. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday evening, October 2, 2011.

Intro:
I like music.  In fact I like music of all kinds.  Well not every kind.  I don’t care for Indie or punk or new wave or rap or any of that weird stuff.  But I like to listen to music.  But I have to admit some music is just depressing.  I’m sure some of the new stuff is really depressing if I could understand the words.  See, now I know I’m getting old.  I’m well on my way to becoming a curmudgeon!  But it’s not just this new stuff that is depressing.  I mean if you want to talk about depressing music, we have to talk about country and western music.  You know they say if you play rock music backwards you get a message from the devil.  You know what happens when you play country music backwards?  You sober up.  Your wife comes back and your dog rises from the dead!  No wonder people drink when they listen to country music!

Now when we think of the Psalms we normally think of praise.  And the Psalms are filled with praise but there are also some depressing Psalms.  The Psalms run the full range of emotions.  And Psalm 39 is a sobering Psalm.  It is a psalm that is not easily understood.  But I’m convinced that if you wrestle with it you will find that it contains a very encouraging message.

Text: Psalm 39:1-13

This is a Psalm of David.
We are told, in the title, that it is for the director of music.  For Jeduthun.

Jeduthun, along with Asaph and Heman, was one of the musicians appointed by David to lead public worship (1 Chronicles 16:37-42; 25:1-8; 2 Chronicles 5:12; 35:15).

Psalm 39 asks us to think about the brevity of life.
That is not a subject our culture is particularly fond of.
We are captivated by youth and vitality.
In fact I would go so far as to say – “We don’t like to think!”

We rush headlong in pursuit of amusement.
Amusement is a compound word.
“Muse” means to ponder, meditate or think.
The prefix “a” is a negative.
So amusement means, “not thinking.”

Most people want to drift through life without giving a lot of thought to anything.
Psalm 39 is a rebuke of that attitude.
The Psalmist calls on us to stop and give some serious thought to this issue.
As we walk through this psalm, here is what we discover:

Thesis: The righteous are characterized by hope in spite of the brevity and the vanity of life.

This psalm has four stanzas each of which provides us with a different characteristic of the righteous and their attitude toward life.

The righteous are characterized by a resolve to remain steadfast in spite of an intense struggle with life’s vanity.  (39:1-3)

The righteous are characterized by a determination to live a meaningful life in spite of life’s apparent meaninglessness.  (39:4-6)

The righteous are characterized by a desire for relationship in spite of God’s rebuke for sin.  (39:7-11)

The righteous are characterized by a recognition that life has a meaning, which is not tied to this world.  (39:12-13)

 

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A Wednesday Bible study: This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Wednesday evening, September 28, 2011.