Trust

Well, good morning, folks. Let me add my welcome to ours. My name's Archie. I'm actually the pastor in training here.

I haven't had a promotion, in case you were wondering. Graham will be back next week.

But we are taking a break this week from our series in Haggai. Graham will conclude that next week.

Instead, we're going to be looking through this Psalm, Psalm 115.

And we're going to get into the world of those, I think, returning exiles, like we've been reading about in the book of Haggai.

And we're going to see some of the things that they might have been experiencing, and in particular, the spiritual battle that they faced.

But before we do that, shall I pray? Let's pray.

Lord, I pray that this morning we would trust in you with all our hearts.

That as we come to your word together, we would lean not on our own understanding,

but that your spirit would be ministering to us and helping us see truth in your word.

We pray in Jesus' name. Amen.

It was about five years ago that I met Katie, my wife.

We met just down the M8 in Glasgow, where we were both at university.

And it was our second date.

We went to a nice Italian place. It's called Eusebio's Deli.

If you're ever in Glasgow, you should check it out. It's really, really nice.

And it was all going really very well. I was charming, as ever.

I really liked her. Even the food was delicious.

And we were sat there, one of those brilliant seats in the window,

where when the conversation gets a bit awkward, you can just sort of watch as people walk by.

It was delightful.

But we were sitting at one of those tall tables.

I don't know if you know the sort of table I'm talking about,

where you have to sit on a stool rather than a seat.

That's so uncomfortable.

And all of a sudden, the bar that I was resting my feet on on that stool snapped.

And the stool just collapsed from underneath me.

And I was left in a pretty embarrassed heap on the floor.

I trusted that stool. It completely failed me.

It's a silly story, that really, isn't it?

But trust is important to us.

You'll know this, especially if you've ever trusted someone and they've let you down.

That sort of betrayal, it can be horrible, can't it?

And on the other side of that coin, how wonderful it is when we're able to trust our friends and our family.

Trust is right at the heart, isn't it, of a healthy relationship.

It's just so important to us.

And that psalm that we read this morning gets us asking this question, I think.

What do we trust?

And not just what sort of seat might we trust to support a slightly overweight student,

but what or who do we trust when our lives are collapsing around us?

When things begin to get overwhelming, in the storms of life,

when we're no longer able to steer the ship, who do we trust with the wheelhouse?

And what do we think happens when we die?

Who do we trust with the answer to that question?

Who do we trust with our eternities?

It's the questions that we're asking this morning.

We're in a section here of the psalms that are often known as the Egyptian Hallel.

Hallel is a familiar word to you, though you might not think that it is,

but it is a familiar word, Hallel.

Hallelujah means praise Yahweh, praise God.

And so these psalms that we're in from 113 to 118, we're in the middle of 115,

they are praising Hallel, praising God for rescuing Israel out of Egypt.

And so they're often known as the Egyptian Hallel, the Egyptian praise.

And it's hard to say when or who this psalm was written for exactly,

but I think verse 2 might give us a clue.

So have a look at verse 2 with me in Psalm 115.

Why do the nations say, where is their God?

So if nothing else, we can imagine that this psalm was probably written at a time

where the nations surrounding Israel are questioning the existence

and the potency and the goodness of their God.

Now, if we're honest, that might have been almost any time in Israel's history,

a time where Israel are struggling.

It does not look as though their God is with them,

a time, I think, probably of national crisis.

I suppose it could have been in the aftermath of the Assyrian or Babylonian invasions

as Israel and Judah are carried into exile.

I wonder if it could even be as in Haggai,

as we've been learning about over the last few weeks,

as they return from that exile and are struggling to build this unimpressive second temple.

Whatever the context, the nations around them are asking,

where is their God?

He doesn't look so powerful now, they say.

And maybe that attitude sounds familiar.

It's true, isn't it?

It's true, isn't it?

That the secular world around us is constantly calling into question

the potency and existence and goodness of our God.

I mean, just over the last couple of years,

how little has God been in the conversation?

If you watch BBC Breakfast in the morning

or you flick through the Scotsman or the Times or the Week,

nowhere will you find the suggestion

that God has anything to do with what's been going on.

We've just been praying about all sorts of things,

crisis in Ukraine, COVID.

Nowhere is there a suggestion that God has anything to do with any of that,

much less would you see any claims that he might be the solution.

And I think that really reflects how people think about God in Scotland today.

In other words, that the world around us just does not think about God at all.

That he probably doesn't exist.

And that even if he does, he must surely be impotent, evil, or both.

Just recently, I was with some friends from school.

We were at a wedding together,

and we had some brilliant conversations about the gospel,

about Jesus, about God's word.

And in many ways, that was a massive encouragement to me.

I mean, these friends, they're genuinely interested.

They see that the gospel makes logical sense.

They know that they're sinful.

They long for eternal life.

But in some ways, it was also super discouraging,

because for them, what their unbelief boils down to,

simply, in their minds, God does not exist,

and therefore has no power.

For some of them, they may have convinced themselves that that's true,

to justify their sinful lifestyle,

to avoid confronting their sin,

though they seem, I think, to know that it is there.

But however they've reached that position in their thinking,

like the nations in this psalm,

they see this messy world that we live in.

And they see the faith of Christians,

they see my faith,

and they're asking,

where is your God in all of this mess?

Maybe you're here this morning,

and maybe you're there too.

Maybe you have similar questions

about where God is in all of this mess.

If that's you, stay tuned this morning,

because let me tell you,

this God is incredible.

He is utterly amazing

and totally trustworthy.

And it would be folly to put your trust anywhere else.

But where is this God?

Well, the psalmist answers that question right off the bat, doesn't he?

Have a look at verse 3.

Our God is in heaven.

He does whatever pleases him.

This God, Israel's God,

the God of the universe,

is absolutely in control.

He's in heaven,

not some spiritual other world,

but literally here in the heavens,

the skies.

Where is he?

Our God fills the galaxies.

He inhabits the universe.

And notice that he does all that he pleases.

Not some of what he pleases.

Not what he pleases for some people

and in some circumstances.

No, he does whatever he pleases.

Our God is absolutely in control.

He was in control when he rescued his people from slavery in Egypt.

When he spared them from the wrath,

from his wrath at the Passover.

He was in control in whatever the context of this psalm is.

Whatever they faced as they were mocked.

Israel's God was in control.

And he is in control today.

And all of the mess out there,

in the midst of this global pandemic,

with everything going on in the news,

political scandals,

looming wars,

and in all of the mess in here,

in my sinful heart,

though the world around us does not recognize him,

our God has got this entire thing under control.

Would we trust him?

It is absolutely essential that we do.

Because,

and this is really our first point this morning.

Sorry, it's taken a while for us to get there.

But this is our first point.

If we trust in man-made idols,

the psalm says we will become dead like them.

If we trust in man-made idols,

we will become dead like them.

Let me read from verse four.

Their idols are silver and gold,

made by human hands.

They have mouths,

but cannot speak.

Eyes,

but cannot hear.

See,

they have ears,

but cannot hear.

Noses,

but cannot smell.

They have hands,

but cannot feel.

Feet,

but cannot walk.

Nor can they utter a sound

with their throats.

Friends,

do you see the irony here?

The Israelites,

God has rescued them

out of slavery.

He's spoken to them,

given them commandments,

his perfect commandments,

helping them to live wisely

in this world.

And yet the nations around them,

those nations that mock their God,

they worship these idols,

created trinkets.

They're preciously made,

yes,

from silver and gold.

But of course,

as these verses,

yes,

these idols,

they're silent.

They cannot speak.

They're blind.

They're deaf.

They cannot smell

or feel

or walk.

Picture with me

Andy's bedroom.

Andy from Toy Story,

if you know the scene.

What happens

when Andy leaves the room?

The toys come to life,

don't they?

They talk to one another.

They even plot together.

Those toys,

they are literally alive.

They're precisely the opposite

of what this psalmist

is describing.

Because what's the psalmist saying?

These idols,

they are utterly inanimate.

They are not alive.

These idols,

they are dead.

And to our modern sensibilities,

of course they are.

Right?

We know that Toy Story

is fantastical.

And perhaps the world around us,

I think,

would probably agree.

Maybe if you're here this morning

and even if you don't believe

in the God of this psalm,

you'd probably still say,

wouldn't you,

that inanimate objects

can't actually be gods.

They have no real agency

in our world.

And that's true here,

but of course there are millions

across the world today

who worship idols

exactly like these.

Virtually every world,

major world religion,

takes man-made things,

puts them in a temple,

or even a church,

and calls them holy.

But there's more to it

than that, I think,

because increasingly

the secular worldview

around us

isn't simply atheistic,

but spiritualistic

and superstitious.

Let me give you

some examples of that.

I know a lady who,

with all the well-meaning

in the world,

whenever she sees a robin

in her back garden,

she is convinced

that it is her dead mother

come back to visit.

Maybe that sort of

vaguely supernatural belief

is familiar to you.

If you could have been

a fly on the wall

in our rugby changing room

yesterday afternoon,

you'd have been amazed

at how many of the lads

are completely obsessed

with which sock

they put on first,

with which seat

they're sitting in,

and with what sort of music

we listen to

as we get ready.

Maybe if you're honest,

you're a bit like that too.

Even just in subtle ways,

superstitious,

trusting in our own

man-made rituals

and idols

to get us

through the storms of life.

People do trust

in all sorts of

vaguely spiritual

and superstitious things

today, don't they?

And these things

can be comforting.

That's why we trust in them.

And yet,

perhaps like the comfort

of a bubble bath,

if we spend too long

immersed in them,

gazing at them,

they do eventually

grow cold

and their bubbles

of hope

begin to burst.

But more than that,

and I think outside

of the explicitly

supernatural,

perhaps more normal

for us today,

is to place our trust

in the material.

Perhaps most obviously

we do this

just bluntly

with our money.

I know I sometimes

do this.

very often think,

don't we,

that if we just

had enough money,

then all our worries

and problems

would disappear.

And maybe if we do

have full wallets,

how easy it is

to trust our wealth

in place of our God.

Friends,

whatever our idols

and superstitions,

whatever we are trusting

other than God

to see us

through this life,

will we see

what this psalmist

says?

We have got to see

that those things

are not alive,

that they have

no real

eternal agency,

they do not speak

today,

and ultimately

they cannot save us

because they are

dead themselves.

And did you see

in verse 8

where the psalmist

is going here?

Have a look at verse 8.

Those who make them

will be like them,

and so will all

who trust in them.

In other words,

those who make

and trust in idols

will die.

Do you see that?

These idols,

they're totally

inanimate,

impotent,

they're dead.

But here I think

is comfort actually

for the Israelites

because the psalmist

is saying

those nations

around you,

they may well

look powerful,

and you might be

facing troubling times.

Maybe your temple

project is just

so unimpressive.

times that cause

people to mock

God,

but ultimately

those people,

they're going to

become just like

their idols,

dead.

And us too,

if we trust in

man-made idols,

we'll become dead

like them.

And yet,

of course,

we will all die,

won't we?

I hope that's not

news to you,

but you will one day

die.

And so whatever it is

that we're trusting in,

maybe as we think

about the pandemic

again,

or as we've been

trusting in

vaccinations

and continued

restrictions,

or maybe you're

one of those

who trust in

those who tell

us that the

pandemic is over,

whatever it is

that we face

in life,

whether you're

unwell,

or you're trying

to buy a new

home maybe,

or looking for

a new job,

navigating a

tricky relationship,

whether we're

at work,

or at school,

or in the

lecture theater,

wherever we are,

and those around

us are calling

our God

into question.

Whatever it is

we trust through

that,

well,

we've got to say

that it's really

just putting off

the inevitable,

isn't it?

Because though it

may help us

steer the course,

at the end of it

all,

we will all die.

We will all

become like the

idols that we've

worshipped.

And yet,

in all of this,

there is the

glorious hope

of the Christian

gospel,

that if we

trust in the

living God,

we will live

forever.

That's our second

point this morning,

really.

If we trust in

the living God,

we will live

forever.

Do you notice

the repeated

refrains in

verses 9 to

11?

See what the

psalmist says?

Trust in the

Lord.

He is their

help and

shield.

All of Israel,

he says,

the house of

Aaron,

the priestly

family,

you who fear

the Lord,

that's the

outsiders welcomed

in.

The psalmist

says,

trust him.

Trust him,

for as we've

been singing,

he has proved

faithful and

he will be

faithful forever.

For the

readers of

this psalm and

the other

psalms around

it,

singing them

and remembering

the exodus

out of Egypt,

that rescue

from slavery,

from the

Passover,

the deliverance

from God's

wrath and

justice.

These are

reminders that

he has

proved

faithful and

that he will

be faithful

forever into

eternity.

Have a look

at verse 12.

The Lord

remembers us

and will

bless us.

Again,

this is for

Israel,

Aaron's house

and all who

fear the Lord,

small and

great alike.

mock.

This God

who is in

total control,

he wants

to bless

his people,

the least

as well as

the great,

the poor

as well as

the rich,

the servant

and the king.

He has

remembered them

all,

he will bless

them all,

but just

imagine how

difficult that

must have

been to see

for these

people.

Incredibly

difficult to

see in the

context as

the nations

look at

God's people

and mock

as the

glory may

be of the

Jerusalem

temple,

once a

genuine

wonder,

now nothing

compared to

the temples

of those

idols in

the empires

around them.

Even as

it's being

rebuilt,

unimpressive,

they may

not look

much blessed.

But God's

promises are

sure and he

promises here

that he will

bless those

who trust

in him.

I love that

about our

God,

don't you love

this,

that this is

both the

small and

the great,

that his

blessings are

not measured

according to

our worldly

greatness.

Now if

you're here

this morning

then and

for whatever

reason you

feel or

you've been

made to

feel insignificant,

for whatever

reason,

whether that's

in the world

around you,

at school

or at work

or maybe

even here

at church,

maybe it

feels like

everyone else

is getting

all the good

opportunities,

like you're

constantly

overlooked,

as though

your gifts

aren't

recognized

or utilized

or celebrated.

Firstly,

let me say

how sorry

I am,

because our

God does not

see you like

that and

we're a

church who

wants to

see people

flourish and

use their

gifts.

And our

God wants

to bless

you,

so would

you trust

in him,

from the

smallest to

the greatest,

the least

to the

most,

whoever you

are,

however you

have been

made to

feel,

would you

trust this

God and

receive his

blessing on

your life?

But what

exactly does

that mean,

to trust

him and he

will bless

us?

What are we

saying?

Are we saying

that we are

blessed according

to a measure

of our trust?

And is that a

material blessing

that we're talking

about?

There are

lots of

people who

would speak

this way

today,

aren't there?

Claiming that

with enough

trust in God

we can claim

any blessing

as our own.

What blessing

would you like

today?

If you're

single,

would you like

a husband

or a wife?

Money for

that building

project?

Some physical

healing?

And look,

of course,

God does

give good

things to

his people.

He blesses

us,

but not

because we

trust him

more than

someone else

does.

That's not

how blessing

works here.

Instead,

I think God's

people are to

recognize that

every good

gift comes

from above,

to trust that

any prosperity

his people do

receive comes

from him and

not from the

dead idols that

we read about

in this psalm.

But probably

more in view

here,

to trust that

God's blessing

his people is

not going to

look like

worldly blessing.

it won't

always look

impressive.

The people

around will

still be able

to say,

where is

your God?

In fact,

it might look

very unimpressive.

But ultimately,

God wants us

to trust him

in the final

and perfect

blessing of

eternal life.

Have a look

at verses

14 and 15

for an example

of how God's

blessing works

in this psalm.

May the

Lord cause

you to

flourish,

both you

and your

children.

May you

be blessed

by the

Lord,

the maker

of heaven

and earth.

The idols

of the

surrounding

nations

at the

time,

they were

very often

attributed

with fertility

and prosperity.

That's what

the people

were foolishly

trusting in

them for.

But one

of the great

promises of

Israel's

scripture was

that God's

people would

be fruitful

and that they

would multiply.

It's a blessing

from God.

It comes right

at the beginning

of the Bible

with Adam

as a global

promise.

And it is

repeated at

various points

of God's

word to the

leaders of

God's people

as a particular

promise.

It's a promise

then that had

been partially

fulfilled by

this time in

the nation

of Israel as

the Israelite

nation grew

and occupied

the land.

But of

course here

in the context

of this psalm

as it seems

as though they

face a national

crisis and

they do in

their history

they face a

number of

national crises

and God

says to them

you may be

decimated now.

It may look

as though your

God has deserted

you.

The nations

may mock

but still

I am your

God

and my promise

to you

that those

who are left

will once again

be fruitful

and multiply

is still

true.

And of

course for

us today

through Jesus

that promise

has once again

become global

and his

kingdom it

has grown

and it is

growing.

In Matthew

Matthew 28 · chapter mention

chapter 28

this is a

key verse

for us as a

church.

Jesus commands

the disciples

to go and

make disciples

of all

nations.

go and

tell the

good news

Jesus says

to them

that they

might follow

me too

for that is

where true

blessing

lies.

Entrusting

this God

who blesses

us now

not least

with the

presence

of his

Holy Spirit

blessing us

as a church

with gifts

to build

and encourage

one another

and ultimately

he blesses

us wonderfully

with adoption

into his

family

and eternally

with life

eternal

life

because if

we trust

in the

living God

we will

live

forever.

For us

today it's

through that

command

through the

commands of

Matthew

Matthew 28 · chapter mention

chapter 28

as it's

come down

through history

that we

have become

part of

his kingdom

and now we

can lay hold

of that promise

and take part

in that command

ourselves.

We can be

disciple making

disciples.

As the

nations around

us continue

to mock

as they

call our

God into

question

it means

that we

can respond

to them

we can

hold out

to them

this offer

of eternal

life in

the gospel.

We saw

back in

verses 4

to 7

that idols

are dead

that they

have no

life in

them

and in

verse 8

that those

who trust

in them

will go

to the

grave

with them.

I take

it that

that is

the eternal

grave

because

an idol

who is

not alive

cannot die

to save.

You see

our human

proclivity

to trust

anything

other than

this living

God

in other

words our

rebellion

against him

our sin

it demands

a price

it demands

death

it's why

those who

turn away

from this

God

this psalm

says face

eternal

death

death

but we

can point

to a

victorious

savior

the God

who became

man

who joined

us in

our suffering

who really

encountered

that crisis

that all

of humanity

faces

who witnessed

and was

tempted by

humanity's

rebellion

against God

but who

having lived

a perfect

life

took the

punishment

for that

rebellion

in our

place

who unlike

the already

dead

idols

he could

really die

for us

and he

did

he really

did die

and rise

again

we read

that wonderful

story

of Thomas's

encounter

with the

risen Jesus

where Thomas

felt the

nail marks

in his

hand

where he

put his

hand in

the wound

in Jesus

side

and friends

this is no

ghost story

he's alive

and now he

sits at the

right hand

of the father

reigning from

heaven

and he's

with us

by his

spirit

today

our God

is alive

would we

trust him

and as we

point people

to him

to Jesus

would we

know that

under his

sovereignty

and his

control

some

will respond

in trusting

him too

for he

promises that

his kingdom

will continue

to grow

the Lord

will give

increase

and if anyone

trusts in him

in the living

God

they will

live

forever

just notice

then finally

as we

finish

how God's

people are

called to

respond

to him

in verses

16 to

18

how do

God's people

respond

they respond

with halal

in praise

do you notice

that these

verses contain

a bit of a

summary of

the psalm

don't know if

you noticed

that

where is

God

in the

heavens

which are

his

where is

man

on earth

which is

his

but those

who trust

in the

things of

the earth

will die

and in

their death

they will

not praise

him

but we

God's

people

we will

bless him

we will

praise him

surely

the implication

there is

that if

we trust

in him

we will

praise him

forever

because we

will live

forever

and so we

can we

can praise

him from

this time

and forever

more

if you're

here this

morning and

you do

not trust

in this

God

maybe you're

one of those

who mocks

who laughs

at us

where is

your God

I suspect

if you're

here this

morning you

might be a

bit more

respectful than

that but

if you're

honest you

can't help

but agree

God doesn't

seem all that

powerful in

the mess

that is

this world

you might

not be so

sure either

way and

if that's

you let

me ask you

a question

who or

what do

you trust

who do

you trust

to steer

the ship

in the storm

of this

mess

and who

do you

trust to

see you

through the

other side

can the

things that

you trust

really make

a difference

in this

world

and ultimately

though to

your eternal

fate

to your

eternal position

before God

do the things

that you trust

do they

really speak

can they

really save

do they

really live

and for the

Christian here

this morning

how will you

respond to

this God

to this

God who

is in

absolute

control

to this

God who

is alive

who is

nothing like

the toys

in Andy's

bedroom

this living

God who

has promised

to rescue

you

this living

God who

has rescued

you in

Christ

he is far

more trustworthy

than any

man-made

idol

he's certainly

more trustworthy

than a flimsy

stool in a

cheap Italian

restaurant

and so

will you put

your trust

in him

and will we

praise him

together

will we say

with the

psalmist

if you're

here today

and you

want to

declare your

trust

for this

God

back in

verse 1

why don't we

read this

verse out

loud together

it's going

to come up

on the

screen

can we

say this

together

not to

us

Lord

not to

us

but to

your name

be the

glory

because of

your love

and faithfulness

let me

pray

heavenly

father we

thank you

that you

speak today

Lord we

thank you

that in

Jesus you

really are

alive

today

that you

came to

this earth

and you

were able

to die

in our

place

but that

you are

alive again

having walked

through that

resurrection

path

for us

Lord I

pray that we

would trust

you this

morning

in Jesus

name

Amen

beast

dad

so

uh