If the Foundations be Destroyed What Can the Righteous Do - Jason Schrock

Good morning, and welcome to this service, and welcome to

a new year. I don't know if it's up to

me to welcome you to a new year. I think

that's the Lord's business. But it's good to think about this.

I'm glad Joel had a little something in relation to

new Year, because I was warning if I should and

decided not necessarily. But it is good to reflect on

the passing of time and the and what we may

face in days ahead. And so I'm glad this morning

we can gather together in the name of the one

that came as a light. He came as a word,

and we're grateful for that this morning, if you want

to turn to Psalm eleven, I'd like to take our

text from this Psalm this morning and look at a

few things in relation to that I've entitled the message

this morning. If the foundations be destroyed, what can the

righteous do? It's almost like things are just going Sometimes

we use the term just going to pont and what

can the righteous do about that? If the foundations are destroyed?

You know this morning, we live in a time of change,

and things that once seem stable in our lives seem

maybe almost as irrevocable as nature itself, are no longer sure.

And as we look at the world about us and

the happenings, we see some of the things that we

once counted dependable, something that we thought would stand, but

it's vanishing away. And Judeo Christian values are no longer

considered important, and there's strong efforts in our society in

which we live to destroy them, to get them out

of the way. So I'm going to I'm going to

read this psalm and uh, maybe just to think about

a little bit. Here. The psalmis or David here says,

in the Lord, I put my trust, And then how

do you say? And I think I think it is

the last part of verse one through verse three, how

do you say that? And then the answer comes in

the latter part of the psalm that the Lord hasn't changed.

The Lord is in his holy temple. The Lord's throne

is in heaven. And so keep that in mind here

as I read in the Lord put I my trust,

how say you to my soul, flee as a bird

to your mountain. For lo the wicked bend their bow.

They make ready their arrow upon the string, that they

may privately shoot at the uprighting heart. It is a

foundations be destroyed. What can the righteous do? The Lord

is in his holy temple. The Lord's throne is in heaven.

His eyes behold is eyelids tried the children of men.

The Lord trieth the righteous, but the wicked, and him

that loveth violence. His soul hateth upon the wicked. He

shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and the horrible tempest.

This shall be the portion of their cup. For the

righteous Lord loveth righteousness. His countenance doth behold the upright. Okay,

so we're talking this morning about foundations. If the foundations

be destroyed, and a foundation is that upon which we build,

And we know that the course for the Christian, our

foundation is Jesus Christ. There is no other foundation but

Jesus Christ. But what's the foundation of the unbeliever. Well,

you know, a lot of things I suppose in this

world could be considered that other things that they put

their trust in. But you know, if as Christians, if

we are not careful, if we are not alert, we

may also put our trust in failing things. Now, this

word foundation in Psalm eleven, according to Strongs, it has

a thought of political or moral or social support or basis.

And so we could say that these things that have

been fixed and placed and settled are foundations. But what

if the foundations of the society in which we live

are just stro then what are we gonna do. I'm

not quite sure what David was experiencing at the time

that he wrote Psalm eleven, but some would feel perhaps

that it's of course, when Saul was chasing him or

trying to destroy him. I'm going to read just several

verses from First Samuel nineteen. We know that David came

into the courts of King Saul. We know that David

was desired to follow the Lord with all of his heart.

He had killed Goliath, he had taken that on, believing

that the Lord was was strong enough for that. And

now the King, the man that God had put in

position of ruling over his people, he is jealous of David.

He wants to get him out of the way. He

looks at him as a rival. Nineteen and Saul spake

to Jonathan, his son, and to all his servants that

they should kill David. David says, what shall I do? No?

I think it's his friends that say, what shall I do.

Why don't you get out of here? Why don't you flee? Also,

if we go on down this chapter verses nine to eleven,

and the evil spirit from the Lord was upon Saul

as he sat in his house with his javelin in

his hand, and David played with his hand, and Saul

sought to smite David even to the wall with the javelin,

but he slipped away out of Saul's presence, and he

smote the javelin into the wall, and David fled and escaped.

That night, Saul also sent messengers unto David's house to

watch him and to slay him in the morning, and Michael,

David's wife told him saying, if thou save not the

life tonight, tomorrow thou shalt be slain. And so we

do see that in a sense, David did flee, not

necessarily to the mountain, but he put his trust in God.

Can you imagine what it must have been like for David.

He was trying to fill the role that God had

given him in the place that God had put him in.

And now this king that was anointed of God tries

to kill David. He throws a javelin, he sends messengers

to David's house to kill him. What can David do?

It seems here in our text passage that in verses

one to three, the advice of David's friends is that

he's just like a helpless bird, and he just as

well fly to the mountain and get out of the way.

But David doesn't necessarily think so. He says, the Lord

is in his holy temple, the Lord stron is in heaven.

His eyes behold his eyelids. Try the children men, The

Lord trieth the righteous, and so on, and so David

realizes that no matter what man may do, no matter

how evil men are, God is on high. And then

verse seven says, for the righteous Lord loveth righteousness his countenance,

doth behold the upright. Where does David flee to? He

flees to God, not to the mountains. All right, I'd

like to pose a number of questions here this morning,

and just just to get us to thinking about the

foundations or the lack thereof, or what's happened in our land,

to help us realize that there are tremendous changes that

are going on in a society. I'm going to say

this now, and maybe I'll say it again. But the

burden of my message here this morning is that we

begin we need to be careful as we become so

accustomed to what's going on in the world about us,

that we almost lose our mooring as far as our

belief and our practices. And you know, as a person

that has grew up where some of these things that

I'm going to mention here we were outlawed, unlawful, and

now they're being promoted, and almost we find that those

who do not adhere to them are getting in trouble

with the law. So here's some questions to think about.

Is marriage a union between a man and a woman

or between two consenting adults? Since divorce is so prevalent

in our society, should we as a church change our position?

Am I a male or a female? Since I always

thought I was a male? Can I change my gender

just by saying so? I am a parent? Do I

have a right to what my children are taught in school?

Is it the state's responsibility to educate my child? Scientists

say that methine gas is damaging the atmosphere of the earth.

Should we not use any petroleum products? They say animals

methane gas should we get rid of all animals. Are

we violating the rights of cows, pigs, and poultry to

raise for food consumption? Should we say that a child

conceived in the womb is just a growth and not

a person until heartbeat are beyond. Should we say that

every woman has a right to have destroyed that which

is growing within her. Would society be better off if

we eliminated the crippled, the infirmed, the old, those with

debiliating diseases. Since there have been instances of police brutality

and even convicted and they've even been convicted murder, should

we join the cry to defund the police. As I

put these questions together, the thing that was interesting and

alarming to me that of these questions that I've fielded,

probably eighty percent of them I didn't figure exactly, but

probably about eighty percent of them wouldn't have even made

any sense forty or fifty years ago. Some of you

would have never thought of. But you know, the encroachment

of the lack of Biblical values almost conditions us to

accept these things as normal. You know, an alternate lifestyle

is portrayed as a personal choice. Yes, we do have

a personal choice, but let's be clear that that personal

choice in many of these things is sin. It's against

the laws of God. And a lot of these things

are about me and nothing else. And so how do

we fortify ourselves? How do we bring ourselves to understand

these things? Well, I believe it's by going to the

word of God. Forever, O Lord, thy word is settled

in heaven. God's word has not changed. It is the

same today as it was fifty years ago. It's the

same as it was five hundred years ago. Wherever one

you want to put that now, I think it's important.

I feel that these questions. I'm going to go back

to these questions and let's just see what God says

about them. And I'm not going to ask you to

turn I just wanted to listen to what God has

to say about these questions. The first one is marriage.

A union between a man and a woman are between

two consenting adults. Genesis two twenty four. Therefore shall a

man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave unto

his wife, and they shall be one flesh. Ephesians five

point thirty one. For this cause, shall a man leave

his father and mother, and they shall be joined, and

shall be joined unto his wife, and they too shall

be one flesh. The thing I wanted to point out

here is the same thing is said in the Old

and the New Testament. Second question says divorce. It is

so prevalent in our society, should we, as a church

change your position? Mark ten, two and eleven and twelve.

And the Pharisees came to him and ask him, is

it lawful for a man to put away his wife

tempting him? And he saith under them. Whosoever shall put

away his wife and marry another committeth adultery against her.

And if a woman shall put away her husband and

be married to another, she committeth adultery. The third question,

Am I a male or a female? And since I

always thought I was a male? Can I change my

gender just by saying soul? Genesis one twenty seven. So

God created man in his own image, in the image

of God, created he him male and female created He

them Genesis five to two. Male and female, created them,

and blessed them and called their name Adam in the

day when they were created. And Matthew nineteen four, and

he being Jesus, answered and sent them. Have you not

read that he which made them at the beginning, made

them male and female. One thing that was interesting to

me on these questions, and what God's answer is, It

comes down a lot to creation principles, what God intended

in the first part of Genesis. There I'm a parent,

Do I have any right to what my children are

taught in school? Is that the state's responsibility to educate

my child Deuteronomy six, six and seven. And now shall

teach them diligently under their children, and shall t talk

of them when they'll sittest in nine house, when they'll

walk us by the way, when they'll lie is down,

when they'll rise it up, And thou shalt bind them

for a sign upon nine hand, and they shall be

its frontlets between nine eyes. Psalm seventy eight, first part

of verse one and verses three and four. Give ear

all my people to my law, which we have heard

and known, and our fathers have told us. We will

not hide them from their children, showing to the generation

to come the praises of the Lord and his strength

and its wonderful works that he has done Ephesians sixty four.

And yet fathers provoked, not you're chilren to wrath, but

bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

Let me stop here a little bit and just emphasize

that these are not things that Christians have just come

up with. Now, this is what we want to promote,

This is what we want to do. This is what

we want to say. It's God's word and forever Lord,

the word is settle in heaven. All right. Next, maybe

someone can help you here where I didn't quite know

where to pull something here that we're signed to say

that methane gas is damaging the atmosphere, So maybe you

can help it with that afterward. But I would like

to address this. Are we violating the rights of cow's,

pigs and poultry to raise food for consumption? Genesis one

twenty six says, and God said, let us make man

in our image after our likeness. Let them have dominion

over the fish of the sea, and over the foul

of the air, and over the cattle, and over all

the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon

the earth. One Timothy four, verses one, and then three

and four. Now the Spirit speaketh expressly that in the

latter times some shall depart from the faith, commanding to

abstain from me t which God hath created, to be

received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.

For every creature of God is good and nothing to

be refused, if it be received a thanksgiving. Should we

say that a child conceived in the womb is just

a growth and not a person until heart beat her beyond?

Should we say that every woman has a right to

have destroyed that which is growing within her. In Jeremiah

one five, the Lord told Jeremiah that he knew him

before he was ever born, before I formed THEE in

the belly. I knew THEE before thou camest fourth out

of the womb. I sanctified THEE, and I had ordained

THEE a prophet under the nations Psalm one thirty nine,

verses fourteen to sixteen. I will praise THEE, for I

am fearfully and wonderfully made. Marvelous are thy works, and

that my soul knoweth right well. My substance was not

hid from THEE. When I was made in secret and

curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine

eyes did see my substance. Yet being imperfect, and in

my book, all my members are written which in continuance

for fashion, when as yet there were none of them.

Would society be better off if we eliminated the crippled,

the infirm, the old, those with debiliating disease illnesses le

Vegas nineteen thirty two. Thou shalt rise up before the

hoary head and honor the face of the old man,

and fear thy God. I am the Lord, then the

last one. Since there have been instances of police brutality

and even convicted and murder, should we join the cry

to defund the police Romans thirteen one to five. Let

every soul be subject under the higher powers. For there

is no power but of God. The powers that be

are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth

the ordinance of God. And they that resist shall receive

to themselves damnation. For rulers are not a terror to

good works, but to the evil. Wilt Thou, then not

be afraid of the power. Do that which is good,

and thou shalt have praise of the same, for he

is a minister of God to thee for good. But

if thou do that which is evil, be afraid, For

if not the sword in vain for he is a

minister of God or Avenger, to execute wrath upon him

that doth evil. Wherefore ye must needs be subject not

only for wrath, but also for conscience sake. So what

are some of the things maybe that we have in

the past we have put our trust in and have

found that it's a shaky foundation. And as we think

of what's going on in society and how the principles

of God's word are being disregarded, how men and women

are making the word of God of none effect in

their lives and want to do so in our lives,

we realize that the powers of darkness are working hard

against truth and right, and we need to realize that

the deterioration of our society cannot be remedied by political means.

And there's so much of Krista today that tries to

remedy what going wrong by political means. But we need

to do as David and trusting God. You know, we've

lived in a country of law and order. We've been

treated as valuable citizens with rights, those rights guaranteed by

the Constitution. And as I think of some of the

things that we in America have taken for granted that

seemed like a good, solid foundation, and how some of

those things no longer seem to be holding truths something

that we cannot depend on. Then what are we going

to do? How are we going to approach that? What's

going to be our response? I'd like to just mention

a few things that I thought about that maybe to

the common American has seemed like a foundation, and maybe

even to us as Christians a foundation. The first I

think of is national power. You know, the great the

United States has great military strength, and perhaps we have

felt safe with the up to date militaristic weapons and

a strong government that all other governments respect. But you know,

I see that changing. Other governments are scoffing and making

light of the US and seemingly no longer fear the

power and are willing to confront the US. And so

the foundation of earthly security militarily, I believe, is crumbling fast.

You know, God said he doesn't have have How does

it put that joy or whatever in the horse, the

strength of the horse, or the strength of a man.

All right. The other another thing is authority. In the past,

it seemed there was more respect for those of authority

if things started to get out of hand, call a

policeman come in, and it would believe that they would

soon have things under control, have it in order. But

then that's change, and there's been name calling, and there's

been rioting, and there's been a call to defund the police.

Totally disrespect for the laws that represent and this disrespect

has permeated every area of society. There's not respect for

teachers in the school. Teachers are fearful of their own safety.

And I don't know how much how many of you

kept up with this, but earlier in the school year

here there was a strike by the teachers in the

Albany district. I think that strike went on for about

three weeks. The strike. Yes, it had to do a

little bit with financial renumeration, but that wasn't all. A

big thing in the teacher's minds was safety. And I

saw an article in the Democrat Herald paper where there

were I don't know, probably eight or ten pictures that

showed wounds that teachers had experienced in school. I don't

blame the teachers for striking and say we can't have this,

but what are they going to do? They can't punish

like they should. They're just kind of Probably you might say,

at WIT's end. And so we find that there's a

breakdown of respect for teachers, for parents. Obviously there's not

going to be the respect of church leaders in the church,

and so on. The third thing I think of is

that of justice. If wrongs need to be righted, we

look to the courts of the land to bring justice.

But now it seems so often judges are letting offenders go,

and police are even despairing of arresting anyone because there's

little teeth in the law. And in some areas of

the country maybe maybe this is fairly widespread. I'm not sure,

but there are stores that have closed because of rampant

shop lifting with no effort by the authorities to stop

the thievery. Where is the justice? I think of the homes.

The homes are the foundation of a stable society, but

today a broken home is the norm and not the exception.

In too many homes, there's not a bond as there

should be between parents and children. And where is the foundation.

We need that foundation of strong homes if there's going

to be a workable society. And then I think of morality,

and I guess I would have alluded to some of

that and some of the questions. When I was a

young adult, the foundation of morality in this country was

rocked by free love and in disregard for any restraints.

And this was somewhat promoted by the heavy movement by

the rock and roll culture. But now has gone way

beyond that. The pride movement has taken front seat tension.

The homosexual society has gotten a stronghold. Just keep in mind,

is not too many years ago that was unlawful and

people were arrested because of that, but now they have control.

There's confusion of genders. It used to be that there

was no question as to whether someone was male or female.

You know, now at times I don't know what you say.

But sometimes I look at somebody mm, look a second

time and I still say hmm. And the third time

I still say hmm. Never look the other direction and

go on. I just don't know anymore. M promotion of

transg gender ideology is freely dispersed among children in school,

and children are confused as to their gender. They hardly

know what they are, and they're they're fed this information.

And then school districts are even trying to override the

concern of parents. Then I think of the sacredness of life.

You know, suicides are on the increase, and so are

assisted suicides. You know, if there's somebody that has a

life that is not pleasant, it's painful, it's not fulfilling,

just help them out of this, out of their suffering.

And so euthanasia has become more acceptable. There's a ongoing

battle whether abortions should be allowed or whether it should not,

and the different states are you might say, battling over that.

Murder is rampant. There's little respect for life. Then let's

think of education, the content of the curriculum in our schools,

and I should have looked that up, but I saw

a chart one time. You go back, maybe into the

eighteen hundreds, and the curriculum was probably at least half

religious and maybe a third moral, and then the rest secular.

But today it's mainly secular and actually anti biblical. So

there's a strong push for higher education. And even though

there is some good in education, we want to recognize that.

Yet there's much false teaching that comes that way, and

education in a lot of ways is puffed up. It's

become a god. What about monetary security? The value of

our money has eroded fast. The dollar no longer has

the value that it once held, and inflation has made

it difficult for people to make ends meet. Those on

a tight budget have found it difficult to pay for groceries.

And I hear that here and there. I was talking

to a man here recently and he said, you know,

I went to the store the other day and carried

a bag of groceries out. That bag cost me over

one hundred dollars. Well, okay, inflation and even in some

foreign countries, the dollar is not valued as it once was.

That you know, the dollar was kind of the we

use the term the gold standard. Well, we know it's

not gold anymore, but it was a standard that many

countries abided by it. Then I think of energy. You know,

in past years there was ample energy for running motors

and electrical use. The gas companies had a glood of oil,

the hydro electric dams turned out adequate power. Along with

the coal industry. That's changing, But you know what, we

don't want to change our lifestyle. We like that electricity.

We like what it does for us. And so with

the environmental concerns, trying to cut back on the pollutants

in the air, and saying that it's changing our climate,

and yes, our climate and so on. So they're trying

to cut back on that, breaching dams to make way

for migrating salmon, and a scramble to find alternate ways

to power our lifestyle while trying to protect nature. These

are changes that at least I've seen in my life,

and I think many of you have to also. And

so to many people, these were foundations. They had represented

a way of life to them, and now they see

this premise upon which they had built their life just crumble,

just go away. It's not there anymore. And there's concern

and even panic as some of these staple areas of

society are crumbling, and the government officials seem to be

intent on making laws that chip away at these foundational

truths and life as we have known it. So when law, order,

justice and truth are perverted, what can the righteous do?

When people are crying because of the changes in the

world about them? What can the righteous do when there

are those who are losing everything they held dear in life?

What can the righteous do? I had to think of

the words of Jesus. He had some prophecies in relation

to the end time, that I think it's good for

us to consider in Luke twenty one, verses twenty five

and twenty six, and there shall be signs in the sun,

and in the moon, and in the stars upon the earth,

distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves

roaring men's heart failing them for fear and for looking

after those things which are coming on the earth. For

the powers of heaven shall be shaken. Fear in men's hearts, definitely,

because they see that what they have put their trust

in is not solid. What about us? What do we

have that solid? If the foundations of the moral and

government society about us are destroyed, what can we do?

I believe this morning the answer is faith. And so

I think we have before us that a contrast fear

versus faith. Do we have a faith in God? A

faith that cannot be shaken, a faith in the Rock

who is our foundation? Certainly we live in a world

of sin and sorrow, strife and change. But we have

a great God. We have a God who gives light

for darkness. We have a God who gives songs in

the night, a God who gives man in the wilderness,

a God who gives water from the rock, a God

who is an anchor for the storm toss soul. Do

you believe that? I believe we need to hang on

to that. I have to think about what did the

righteous do at the time of the Babylonian captivity? You know,

there were The more I think about that, the more

interesting I find it. God's people were taken captive because

of their sins, because of their idolatry, because they had

turned away from Him. But there were those who had

a firm foundation for their belief. You take like Daniel

and Shade direct means shack and a bandigo, and you

take like Ezra, and you take just a number of

others that that believed in God. And so what did

they do? I believe that their faith remained firm and

they were a witness to the grace of God in

this heathen country. Perhaps we feel afraid of all that

bad government could mean to us, but let's remember David.

David lived under a bad king, and he was not

going to succumb to fear, but rather he was going

to feel the place God had for him. He put

his trust in Jehovah. Maybe we just fail, well, we

could just go ahead and live our lives, and I

trust we can, but you know, the ungodly world around

us seems intent on removing our rights. We have lived

under a government that's granted rights to his citizens, and

perhaps we feel like we need to somehow stand up

for these rights. When there is a court case that

comes up that may threaten our freedom speech, may encroach

on religious rights, we somehow have to have the comfort

or I shouldn't say. We often have the comfort of

thinking that the judicial system will rule in favor of

constitutional rights. But that can change tomorrow. A lot of

power for change is placed in the hands of judges

and money. Many judges want to promote ideologies that are

contrary to the Bible. What can the righteous do? Should

we bring our hands and just say, oh, we just

wish for the good old days. Should we go to

the ballot box to install politicians that line up with

our belief system. No, No, that's not the way. Should

we get out and march in protest? No? Should we

take up arms and fire? No? Should we petition, Well,

perhaps there's a place for that. Should we pray? Yes?

Should we exercise faith in God? Definitely? That's where we

need to come out at you know, our text says

if they be destroyed, not just if they be threatened,

but if the foundations be destroyed. Now, I don't consider

myself a doomsday profit necessarily, but I think it's signs

due point to the possibility of changes in the freedoms

and the blessings that have been ours. And I, you know,

I thought about it, depending if this goes on much longer,

just the things that I've shared here this morning could

result in my rest in years to come, because I

believe what the Bible says, and I teach it. And

so are we prepared if our government no longer recognizes

that we have freedom to believe according to the dictates

of our conscience? Are we prepared? If our government no

longer and now allows us to have our own schools?

Are we prepared if there is no room for conscientious

opposition to the military. What would we do if the

government endeavors to take our children because they believe our

lifestyle is a hindrance to property development. I think these

are all things to consider. Jesus said Marvel. Not if

men hate you. I'm going to just share a few

scriptures in relation to faith and trust that I hope

will be guiding bacon to us. And one John five

four and five it says, for whatsoever is born of

God overcometh the world. And this is the victory that

overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that

overcometh the world, But he that believeth that Jesus is

the Son of God. Psalm one eighteen, verses eight and nine.

It's better to trust in the Lord than to put

confidence in man. It's better to trust in the Lord

than to put confidence in princes. Isaiah's twenty six to three.

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is

stayed on thee, because he trusteth in Thee Romans fifteen thirteen.

Now the God of Hope fill you with all joy

and peace, and believing that ye may abound in hope

through the power of the Holy Ghost. So let's not

let outward circumstances pull us down in discouragement. Maybe God

wants to pull out some of the props that we

have felt in past years so that we trust him more.

And so let's trust him and not become afraid. But

trust in the Lord. You know, the promises of God

never change. The power of God is never diminished. And

we have a strong foundation upon which to build. But

that foundation is not found in society. It's found in

the Word of God. That foundation is not of this world.

Two Timothy two nineteen says, Nevertheless, the foundation of God

stand as sure having this seal. The Lord knoweth them

that are His. God knows you. He knows you as

his child, he knows you as one that he wants

to help through the difficult times in life. And the

foundation of God stands sure. And I would like to

close this morning with the a little bit again the

words from Psalm eleven on this question, if the foundations

be destroyed, what can the righteous do? The answer, The

Lord is in his Holy temple. The Lord's throne is

in heaven. His eyes behold his eyelids. Try the sholem

the men, May the Lord bless. Let's have a clothing,

sell