Untitled Sermon (5)

MB: Is the ladder you’re climbing leaning against the wall of self effort or reliance on God?

Opening words: I remember prison ministry, Father’s day was always emotionally charged day, and mothers day is no different. There is a wide range of feelings and emotions based on each individuals life experience. I would point us to Jesus this morning. He is the one we are grateful to in any area of blessings in our lives, he is the one we cry out to in the areas of life marked by pain and struggle. He is the one who heals our brokenness, he provides strength in weakness, and he is ready and willing to hear you pour out your heart to him, all the joy, all the pain, all the brokenness, all of the uncertainty, he will take heaviness and replace it with his peace.

2

Who? A song of ascents one of two Psalms attributed to Solomon (the other a royal Psalm -see Ryrie)

What? This is the comparison of dependance on God vs. the dependance on self.

Why? Songs of Ascents - the title given to . These form a hymn book of sorts that God’s people would have sung from as they went up to Jerusalem for the annual feasts of Passover, Pentecost, and booths.

Songs of Ascents - this is the tit

Why? Songs of Ascents - the title given to . These form a hymn book of sorts that God’s people would have sung from as they went up to Jerusalem for the annual feasts of Passover, Pentecost, and booths.

Everything is from the Lord - The Lord builds, the Lord watches, children are from the Lord.

This is a word to the builder (putting in the long hours) The watchman (who cares deeply for those he protects) The warrior (in a spiritual battle) —>

It is the Lord who provides the substance for building (he knows your children better than you) The Lord provides protection (he knows the dangers that are coming and how to provide protection) The arrows and the quiver belong to the Lord, you are stewarding them.

heritage, reward, blessed, not put to shame, all things that the Lord bestows and protects.

verse 1

Key words, “Unless the Lord,” and “vain.”

verse 2

- Verse 2 gives direct consequences of neglecting the truths of verse 1.

-work, worry, early mornings, late nights, all are in vain unless the Lord is the one working on your behalf. We are called to faith -there will be work for sure, there will be concerns, there will be late nights, there will be early mornings, but those efforts, unless your trusting the Lord, are an end in themselves.

-Eating the bread of anxious toil. (painful labors NASB)

verse 3

NASB - For He gives to His beloved even in his sleep.

verse 3

-poetry making a point. When something is repeated and said with different emphasis, there is a point being driven home. Heritage and reward. The people in our lives are gifts from the Lord,

verse 4

verse 5

When we trust the Lord with what he has entrusted to us, we not come under the protection of the Lord (even in struggles like Job, God is never out of reach), but also we become weapons against the enemy.

(The Message) Your enemies don’t stand a chance against you; you’ll sweep them right off your doorstep.

Your enemies don’t stand a chance against you; you’ll sweep them right off your doorstep.

you’ll sweep them right off your doorstep.

In

2.5 hrs

1. “God’s Sovereignty in Everyday Life” (MacArthur) “Fruitless efforts” TOTC (127:1–2)

2. “God’s Sovereignty in Family Life” (MacArthur) “Living assets” (127:3–5)

(JFB) . The theme of this Psalm, that human enterprises only succeed by the divine blessing, was probably associated with the building of the temple by Solomon, its author. It may have been adopted in this view, as suited to this series especially, as appropriately expressing the sentiments of God's worshippers in relation to the erection of the second temple.verse 1

verse 1

verse 2

In vain is not the same word as the ‘vanity’ which dominates Ecclesiastes to take the relish out of worldly success; but it is no less sweeping. Verse 2 underlines the fact that to work still harder is no answer to it: it can be a fresh enslavement. It is not simply that our projects will fail—there is at least ‘bread’ to show for them—but that they lead nowhere. In terms of verse 1, the house and city may survive, but were they worth building?

Kidner, D. (1975). : An Introduction and Commentary (Vol. 16, p. 477). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

verse 3

verse 4

verse 5

1. Self reliance versus God reliance (1-2)

The Lord will provide growth (builds), protection (watches) and rest (he gives sleep) for those who seek him and rely on his strength. (1-2)

Depend on him

Vanity Word Sense: vanity (worthlessness) The quality of being valueless or futile.

Worldly prosperity is not necessarily and indicator of faithfulness to the Lord, but faithfulness to the Lord promises that neither blessing nor suffering will be in vain. (1-2)

In vain is not the same word as the ‘vanity’ which dominates Ecclesiastes to take the relish out of worldly success; but it is no less sweeping. Verse 2 underlines the fact that to work still harder is no answer to it: it can be a fresh enslavement. It is not simply that our projects will fail—there is at least ‘bread’ to show for them—but that they lead nowhere. In terms of verse 1, the house and city may survive, but were they worth building?Worldly prosperity is not necessarily and indicator of faithfulness to the Lord, but faithfulness to the Lord promises that neither blessing nor suffering will be in vain. (1-2)

2. We are mere stewards, not owners (3-5)

Blessings are entrusted: It is God who provides the children. They are his arrows, uniquely designed and gifted for his purposes, our job is to work with and shape.

(4-5) When we trust the Lord with what he has entrusted to us, we not only come under the protection of the Lord (even in struggles like Job, God is never out of reach), but also we become weapons against the enemy.

- A picture of protection and blessing. (The Message) Your enemies don’t stand a chance against you; you’ll sweep them right off your doorstep.

(The Message) Your enemies don’t stand a chance against you; you’ll sweep them right off your doorstep.

Quotes and Illustrations:

A Sermon Opener & Illustrations:

This is a Mothers’ Day sermon. I’m preaching without apology

and with appreciation for that time—honored institution without the benefit of which we wouldn’t be here!

Every Mother’s Day sermon I’ve run across starts with an explanation —— this one’s no exception. As ministers, we’re reminded not to get too sentimental about motherhood because:

(a) for some, motherhood is an accident, and not always a welcome one;

(b) for some, biological motherhood isn’t possible;

(c) for some, mothers weren’t all that nice;

(d) for some, motherhood under the very best of circumstances is still less than abed of roses and a primrose path.

If I can take some liberties with poet Wilhelm Busch’s words, I’d have to say: “ (To become a (mother) is not so difficult; on the other hand, be-ing a (mother) is very much so!)

So, with all those qualifications, why bother with Mothers’ Day at all? I’ll tell you why —— because for all its stumbling blocks, pitfalls and broken dreams, for all the soiled diapers, soiled wallpaper and spoiled plans, we’re talking about a beautiful ideal, a natural part of God’s creative plan to bring love and caring to light. Motherhood is a constant demand for the gift of love and caring.

Proclaim, “A Mother’s Day Sermon,” May 14, 1989.

Quotes:

“God is not against human effort. Hard work honors God (). But working to the exclusion of rest or to the neglect of family may be a cover-up for an inability to trust God to provide for our needs. We all need adequate rest and times of spiritual refreshment. On the other hand, this verse is not an excuse to be lazy (Pov 18:9) BE careful to maintain a balance: work while trusting God, and also rest while trusting him.” - Life application

Untitled Sermon (5)

Observations (2 hrs)

Observations (2 hrs)

Interpretation (4 hrs)