Sermon – “The Defender of the Weak”

Let God arise, Let His enemies be scattered; Let those also who hate Him flee before Him. 2 As smoke is driven away, So drive them away; As wax melts before the fire, So let the wicked perish at the presence of God. 3 But let the righteous be glad; Let them rejoice before God; Yes, let them rejoice exceedingly. 4 Sing to God, sing praises to His name; Extol Him who rides on the clouds, By His name YAH, And rejoice before Him. 5 A father of the fatherless, a defender of widows, Is God in His holy habitation. 6 God sets the solitary in families; He brings out those who are bound into prosperity; But the rebellious dwell in a dry land. 7 O God, when You went out before Your people, When You marched through the wilderness, Selah 8 The earth shook; The heavens also dropped rain at the presence of God; Sinai itself was moved at the presence of God, the God of Israel. 9 You, O God, sent a plentiful rain, Whereby You confirmed Your inheritance, When it was weary. 10 Your congregation dwelt in it; You, O God, provided from Your goodness for the poor.

Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. 2 But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things. 3 And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? 5 But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, 6 who “will render to each one according to his deeds”: 7 eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; 8 but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness—indignation and wrath, 9 tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek; 10 but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 11 For there is no partiality with God.

12 Surely God will never do wickedly, Nor will the Almighty pervert justice.

3 remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Je-sus Christ in the sight of our God and Father, 4 knowing, beloved brethren, your election by God. 5 For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake. 6 And you became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit, 7 so that you became examples to all in Macedonia and Achaia who believe. 8 For from you the word of the Lord has sounded forth, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place. Your faith toward God has gone out, so that we do not need to say anything. 9 For they themselves declare concerning us what manner of entry we had to you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, 10 and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.

My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.

The smore in my message titled The defender of the weak and that song are we saying that our God our God will be what was it the 1st song the opening song was a call now put that stuff down the 1st song is God will take care of you. God will take care of you so now we’re going to get the scripture to go along with that song that God will take care of us I’m going to be reading from songs chapter $68.00 verses one through 10 and they titled this a saw him of David a song so it is a song and when you hear this it could very well it could be a wonderful song to sing I’m going to in a moment and you know I’ve learned in a book that I read recently that in Hebrew families at mealtime they always read a scripture. That is how the children in the in the the wives in the women learned it mealtime they read a Scripture and they would systematically work their way through the door and read a scripture at meal time they said because the happy meal without the root of a Scripture is like being around the dead because they lifted up a scripture to bring life to speak life and speak hope a song so we we can make it into a song because that’s how oftentimes we can help remember things right remember a song so maybe we will sing this stuff I’m not going to sing it I’m sorry OK they resist thank you 1st one leg got a rise lead his enemies be scattered let those also who hate him flee before him a smoke as smoke is driven away so let them. So drive them away I cannot read this morning as wax melts before the fire so let the wicked perish at the presence of God but let the righteous be glad let them rejoice before the Lord before God yes let them rejoice exceedingly I’m going to pause for a moment the righteous you are the right Sis read Joyce before God Be glad be glad before him it is says Rejoice exceedingly brothers and sisters I want to share this don’t worry about what your neighbor thinks when you’re rejoicing you rejoice the way that you feel God is leading you to rejoice in for some people that might be you shout and then how they Louisa you know God’s touched you shout for others it might be on your face on the floor before him for others it might be just set an air taken at all when soaking it on might just be rejoicing in here don’t worry about what others think you read Joyce exceedingly if you’re in your car if you’re that stoplight don’t worry about what that guy beside you thinks because you’ll probably never see him again. You rejoice the way God has led you to rejoice and I hope it’s exceedingly sing to God sing praises to his name extol him who rides in the clouds by his name yea and rejoice before him a father of the fatherless defender of widows is God in His holy habitation God sets the solitary in families he brings out those who are bound into prosperity but the rebellious dwell in a dried land so a dry land is what unfruitful land the rebellious are going to dwell in unfruitful land but the righteous will dwell in the land of prosperity fruitfulness. Oh God when you went out before your people when you marched through the wilderness the earth shook the heavens also dropped rain at the presence of God saw an eye itself was moved at the presence of God the God of Israel you of God sent a plentiful rain whereby you confirm your inheritance when it was weary your congregation dwelt in it you of God provide from your goodness for the poor and they got out his blessings to the hearing in the reading of His Holy Word let us pray Father we do thank you and praise you that you provide We thank you that you defend those that cannot defend themselves we thank you father that you will take care of us and Father may we always rejoice may we be exceedingly glad for your presence and for your watch care over us and Father may we glorify you with our lives may we just serve you faithfully in Jesus’ name amen this passage speaks of God’s enemies being scattered being driven away in the evening even melting like wax you know I’ve read that scripture before and I guess I just did not get the mental picture that as I read it this time just think you know on these candles and they take a long time them to melt they last probably a couple months at least but you think of how quickly mak wax would melt in extreme heat we’ve all been to that everybody been to a wax museum some time or another you know they they can make those figures look so real candy like you touch them isn’t real. But you introduce a fire into that wax museum. They’re going to be able All right a blob of wax So what’s going to happen with those they’re God’s enemies. They’re going to melt away gone they’re going to be a flaw. Totally gone just like wax he who thinks that he can war against God We all read the back of the book we know that there is going to be a battle they think is it really it’s not going to be a battle but Satan is going to gather those together and think that they are going to war against God what a fool because they will melt like wax that his presence they will just try vanish begone Hebrews 1229 says For our God is a consuming fire there will be no battle and that passage in Psalms you did not want to hear the word judgment did not one time but clearly that message is about judgment that God is just his enemies will flee and he will bring justice upon the earth God will bring justice upon the earth so how did I go from defender to justice because many people will cringe at the topic but the idea of judgement right you bring up the word judgment they just cringe and they don’t like to hear about it because they’re only think of the negative aspects of judgment they’re not thinking of the positive aspects of judgment the Hebrew word for judgment is Mr Potter which means to pronounce a verdict judicially or a sentence or formal decree and again the understanding of the Hebrew to understand Hebrew correctly you must understand that it could also be a favorable judgment if you were the one that had some offense done towards you or your family in a judge gives a decree that is a favorable judgment for you correct yes it is I think of the woman that went before the unjust judge and pleaded her case day after day after day after day and he even though he wasn’t a righteous judge of God she’s going to wear me out so he gave her justice. A righteous and truthful judge will the fan the helpless they will defend the weak they will defend the orphans in the widows the Psalms describe God as a father of the fatherless a defender of widows we do not have to be a theologian to understand what he’s talking about here the followers fatherless and the widows are the ones that have no one to protect them no one to provide for their needs or their or to care for them you know the husbands or the fathers have either passed away or were killed in battle so they have no means to provide for themselves but God will provide you know even today wicked people seem to pray on the elderly and only young Do they not they do they seem to prey on those 2 groups today in our nation if a person finds themselves in trouble with the law if there are a poor person and unable to go out and hire a fantastic lawyer what happens they get a lawyer provided by who do the state correct by the state so they’ll get a public defender What is a public defender right a lawyer paid by the state as we just said because they can’t afford to go out and pay an eternity I don’t on the tourney not eternity and I’m sure you’ve heard the words you know if you watch any of these crime shows whatever if you cannot afford a lawyer used one shall be provided for you by the state right but there are some bad things about half and use a public defender for one you do not get to choose which lawyer is going to handle your case the judge is going to appoint whomever he decides that judge does not come out with a long list in all the credentials of all these lawyers and say OK now what one would like. No the judge says here’s how you’re going to get there is no choice in the lawyer that you get to defend your case and in most cases you you know you’ve been around a public defender there caseload is probably this ha you know they’re carrying him they’ve got way more cases than they can handle because more people can’t afford a lawyer than can so they’re over worked overburden and that the lawyer may not you may never meet that lawyer until your 1st appearance in court so they do not spend the time on your case as if you would go out and hire a expensive lawyer so if you happen to get a bad lawyer or public defender It may be a regret that you have for the rest of your life you know we’ve probably all heard our fair share of lawyer jokes right now because there’s lots of them out there well guess what I’m not going to start one today as a matter of fact I want to share a story about a lawyer that’s so fantastic a wonderful God fearing God loving man a guy named Bob Goff I read a couple of his books this past summer and amazing books they’ll make you laugh but they also make you cry. And he’ll take every story that he shares because he has had some crazy crazy experiences in his life but he always brings it around to faith and how you know God is working in and through him the one book is called Love does because friends that is what love is supposed to do it’s supposed to love does it’s supposed to be an action we’re supposed to do things supposed to move us to help people to love people and care for people the other one is everybody always so love does for everybody always get it. Wonderful books I’ve heard you get to get a chance but Bob is an amazing oyur he is a successful lawyer put he has a heart to help those who can’t help themselves he’s helped kids in this nation but he has also helped people in places like where to have the list Iraq Somalia Uganda Nepal India he goes in those places because he being a lawyer you know they can afford a lawyer and he has defended them he has helped rescue young children sold into slavery sex slavery he has helped widows he’s built orphanages over there in schools all the proceeds from the books all the proceeds are bestsellers goes to that organization to help those kids they cannot help themselves and all the donations go there he has a heart to be God’s hands and feet to help those that are helpless but defender of the weak i wonderful lawyer has chosen to do that you know this past week it Bible study on Wednesday morning Gary was sharing from C.S. Lewis and he got to talking about justice and he said is there ever really justice ever really true justice of course the example of this if someone takes the life of your loved one even if that person receives the death penalty is there ever really justice because that does not bring your loved one back doesn’t it doesn’t so yes there’s a sort of Justice proclaimed But it doesn’t bring that loved one back but I suppose if it were a lesser crime let’s say that someone robbed you of something in the judge handed down his decree and they were to give for restitution you would have a sense of justice there. You know I heard a story funny story on the radio the other day there was a husband and wife that had been robbed and that made them extremely extremely paranoid they were afraid to leave their house and let anyone know that the house was unoccupied they were just so afraid today we’re going to be robbed again so they were going out to dinner one evening and they call a cab they didn’t have to go so they take a cab where they go the city so on the way out to the CAB The wife says we forgot to put the cat out doesn’t says I’ll go back and take care of it so she gets in the cab and says in her paranoia not even when the taxi cab driver to know that the house was going to be occupied says all my husband forgot to tell mom goodbye he went back in the take by so he’s in the can he found he comes back out and says boy said I had a hard time catcher he said she got under the bed he said I had to take a stick and poker to get her out he said then you remember what happened the last time she scratched me or which is I grabbed the blanket not don’t go on or he says now throughout the back door in the yard. So the cab driver this is morrow morning 3rd in the back yard. That’s a good joke right is left to. God is a just God He will provide justice a righteous judgment friends will come upon the earth and those who reject Him will experience the negative side of God’s justice Romans 21 through 11 says Therefore your inexcusable Oh man whoever you are who judge for you it for went through and for in whatever you judge. Another you condemn yourself for him whatever you judge another you condemn yourself if you judge practices same thing but we know that the judgement of God is according to truth against those who practice such things and do you think this a man you to judge those practicing such things and doing the same thing that you escape the judgment of God or do you despise the riches of His goodness forbearance and long suffering not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance but in accordance with your hardness in your impending and penitent heart your trays ring up that is storing up for yourselves wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the right is judgment of God who will render to each one according to his deeds eternal life the to those who patiently continue in doing good seek for glory honor and immortality but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth but obey on righteousness indignation and wrath tribulation and anguish on every soul of man who does evil of the of the Jew 1st and also with the Greek but glory honor and peace to everyone who works what is good to the Jew 1st and also to the Greek for there is no partiality with God how glory honor a blessing and peace to those who work righteousness but those who do not there are going to melt like wax the righteous judgment of God You know we may not be able to trust every judge appointed on this earth. We may not be able to trust that they’ll be truthful that they’ll be righteous in their judgment but we can absolutely positively trust every single judgment of God because it will be true no one not one person will be able to say oh no wait a minute God that wasn’t me I didn’t do that that was my brother now I didn’t do that we won’t be able to cover our tracks we won’t be able to hide it because God’s judgment will be true it will be righteous we can’t there will be no mistakes no mistakes job $3412.00 says Surely God will not act wickedly and the Almighty will not pervert justice it will be truthful 2nd Thessalonians 313310 2nd give the wrong for we are bound to thank God always for you brother and as it is fitting because your faith grows exceedingly and the love of every one of you all a balance towards each other so that we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure which is manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of God that you may be counted worthy of the Kingdom of God for which you also suffer since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ they shall be punished with an everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power when he comes in that day to be glorified in the Saints and to be admired among all those who believe because our testimony among you was believed how do you. There was a traveler who was crossing the frontier and he came to and came and he had to pass a customs building the officer said to him Have you any contra brand goods he replied to do not think I have that may be true said the officer but we cannot permit you to pass without an examination permit us to search if you please said the traveler when examination was over the traveler dressed the officers saying gentleman will you allow me to tell you what this examination brought to my mind we are all travelers to an eternal kingdom into which we cannot take any contraband goods by these forbidding things I mean the sea fulness anger pride lying covetousness and similar offenses which are hateful in the sight of God for all these every man who passes the boundary of the grave is search far more strictly than you have searched me God is the great searcher of hearts from him nothing is hidden and in that kingdom as in this ever forbid an article subjects’ a man to punishment you know earlier I said that the negative things about the public defender one of the negative things is that you do not get to choose if you’re assigned a bad lawyer that could be bad news for you here’s the thing that bad news that bad situation from maybe a incompetent lawyer is temporal it’s temporal it’s not eternal doesn’t affect eternity because someday you’ll pass on but the good news is when it comes to that which is eternal we get to choose we get the choose our defender. In our defenders Jesus. We get to choose 1st John Chapter 2 says my little children these things are right to you so that you may not sin and if anyone sins we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but also for the whole world advocate it is nothing but a fancy word for a lawyer and Navigon is a person who comes to our aid who pleads our case to the judge he offer support strength and counsel intercede for us when it’s necessary the Bible says that Jesus is our advocate he is the Abbot for those who put their trust in him who believe in Him who have repented other sins Romans 25 said but it coordinates with your hardness and your impotent and penitent heart your storing up traitor of wrath and the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God There must be repentance of the evil will be reckoned with Matthew says that we will give account for every word that we may speak he also says a son a man will come in the glory of his father with a saint tools and then he will reward each one according to His works let’s work righteousness Paul makes it very clear the salvation is based on Christ saving work but that we build on that foundation we will build on the foundation of Christ sacrifice and as long as we repent and we believe in him some of those things that we build on there May birthday may suffer loss the word tells you that but he will be saved is long as it’s built upon the foundation of Jesus Christ He is our advocate when we believe when we repent. He becomes more than our Savior he is pleading our case before the fall so on that day when the day judgement comes you can say he is mine she is mine they can enter in because they have believed on me they have repented of their sins He is a defender of the one who loves us so much gave his life Amen.