Do You Hear Him Sing?

I have the privilege of introducing a guest preacher this morning.

His name is Warren Betcher, and he's here with his wife Kim here in the front.

And Warren is the lead pastor of Southern Rich Church of New Jersey in Marlton.

And he also serves as the regional leader of our foundation.

So he's the leader of our Northeast region.

So he's really visiting us in that capacity to serve us, encourage us.

And he also serves at the national level on the executive committee of the Southern Rich Churches.

So he's wearing many hats, but he does it well faithfully.

And Warren and Kim are really, as a couple, one of the godbiest and most humble people I know.

And really look up to them.

And I'm really eager for you guys to get to know them as well and hear from them.

So please welcome with me, Warren.

I think I'll be preaching for us.

All right.

I'm right away going to make Sean nervous.

I'm moving the clock.

That's on the...

Just dividing the room.

It's great to be here with all of you.

My wife and I have looked forward to this time.

We were in Manchester last weekend.

So Cade's Cross Church with Jake Young.

Spent Saturday or Sunday with them and preached at that church.

Went to Acadia this week for the first time for us up in Maine.

Did tons of hiking up there.

Climbing different mountains, Cadillac mountains, different mountains.

And seeing the coastline.

And going on a whale watching cruise, which we've done once.

We enjoyed it.

We won't do it again.

But we did enjoy that.

And to be here is just such a privilege to be involved with you.

We were with the Roos last night along with Matt and Cheryl.

And Ray was there.

And just had time with them.

And so it's wonderful to be here with your church.

And I want you to know that your church is prayed for regularly.

So our church outside of Philadelphia or suburb of Philadelphia in Washington, New Jersey.

We pray for this church.

Actually, my son-in-law and my daughter really seriously considered being part of this church plan.

Sean came, spoke.

My son-in-law felt very moved in an unusual way because of respect for Sean, which I would share.

And they were wrestling.

Now, we were, to be honest, we were praying they wouldn't come.

So we're grandparents.

And so grandchildren means a lot to us.

We have five children, 12 grandchildren.

Can I have been married for 40 years?

So, but I want you to know this church is dear to our heart.

And we pray for you on a regular basis.

And you represent an answer to prayer.

There was a vision in Sovereign Grace at one point.

We were like, can you ever get a church in New England?

And that started with Paul Butler.

The first church planted into, or, yeah, Paul.

The first church planted into New England.

And now there's four churches in New England with more being planned.

And that's a phenomenal answer to God, that we would see churches gospel-wise, gospel outposts, in places where we need the gospel preached.

So I want you to know that your church is dear to us and you are praying for.

Ranging for those decisions you may never meet, but they do care and we are connected that way.

And also, my respect for Sean, who couldn't be hired by one of the graduates today, is that I'm preaching and not listening to him preach.

He's a smart guy.

And he's a very smart guy.

So I don't want to ask him questions.

He didn't ask me questions.

I'm not saying, well, actually, I want to hear your perspective on this issue.

Because you're probably going to have a more thought-out perspective than I'll have.

So he's a smart guy.

And I would say this about Sean.

He's a man full of faith.

And church planted does take faith.

He's a man full of faith.

And he's a very humble man.

Through the way that God has gifted him, his humility is profound.

And the other thing that stands out back to you that I've known about him is his courage.

And you want a pastor who has courage.

Because pastors are called to love and tell the truth.

And sometimes you can be liked.

And we all want to be liked.

Nobody walks around not wanting to be liked.

But that can become a trap if it hears you from telling the truth.

Sean, as a pastor, loves you and loves his people enough to always be truthful with them.

And to ground that truth in the grace of God.

So, Sean, thank you for having you serve up here.

And thank you for how you are being a gospel outpost.

We will be praying for your outreach barbecue picnic next Saturday.

So, that would be our prayer list this week on Thursday.

We will spend time as an fellowship training for your outreach that that gospel level will expand into this community.

So, thank you.

So, it's great to be with you this morning.

I'm going to be speaking over the love of God, which is a massive topic.

If you think about the Apostle John, twice in John 4.

He actually makes a statement in John 4, 8 and John 4, 16.

He has this phrase, God is love.

It's not the summary attribute of God, but it is an essential attribute.

When we think about who God is, this is one of the ways he describes himself.

That he is a God of love.

He is a loving God to us.

Paul writes in Ephesians 3, and it's a love that surpasses knowledge.

So, how do you talk about something that actually surpasses our ability to fully comprehend him?

And I believe I can say, in a young age, by now, 5, I'm 16 now, so I was 55 years.

I don't think I understood much of the gospel early, but I think I was genuinely saved.

I was a sinner.

I needed a sinner.

I was a sinner, and Jesus died for my sins.

But understanding the grace of God has been depressing.

But understanding really who I was, apart from God, that really was a sinner and really needed.

And because I was a Christian early in my life, I was in traditional school, I didn't do what I considered going to be immoral things.

So, in our chapels and school, the people who would come and speak would also come in, and they'd have these testimonies that were so unlike anything I had.

You know, drug use, immorality, crime.

We had a guy who was part of the warlocks, the motorcycle gang, and actually had a chapter.

Somebody got shot at his reddit.

And you're like, you're like, I don't have a testimony.

I don't do any of those things.

You're like, I think I lied once.

So, I think I did.

You know, and what happened in that is I didn't have an understanding what would have drove my sin.

Because I was very proud.

I wanted my own glory.

I wanted my own ease.

Those things did function for me.

But they didn't seem big.

So, because my sins didn't seem big, God's grace didn't seem big.

And it was really in my 20s when God started to really reveal the sins of my heart, the motivations of my heart.

And that was a real struggle.

Because then I really fell into the confirmation.

Am I even a Christian?

Why did I not change?

Why did I keep confessing the same sins?

And it was really in my 20s that the grace of God got really introduced.

The love of God got really introduced to me.

And that love just has grown, in my understanding, ever since.

It still is an inexpressible love.

And that's what we're going to be looking at this morning.

So, if you have your Bibles with you, open up here to Zephaniah chapter 3.

Zephaniah 3 · chapter mention

It's probably not a typical place you'd go.

So, you've got to go Old Testament.

And if you're looking for Zephaniah, just look at the index if you can't find it.

Don't act like you don't know where it is.

It's near the end of the Old Testament.

So, you hit the Matthew, you go too far.

Just go back about 20 pages.

And it comes to Zephaniah.

Zephaniah chapter 3.

Zephaniah 3 · chapter mention

Zephaniah is one of the minor prophets.

And they're called the minor prophets.

Not that they're less significant.

So, don't think of them that way.

But they're just shorter.

In fact, these books are very significant to us.

Here's what the minor prophets typically do.

They typically announce God's judgments.

Typically against God's people.

Who typically rebelled against God.

And that was true of Zephaniah.

So, here's what you'll see in the minor prophets.

You will see the holiness and the justice of God.

God's not to be trifled with.

We just finished a series in Joel.

Where God sent a massive locust claim.

To the people of Israel.

Where they were starving.

And then he followed that up with a drought.

And the first message in our series in Joel 1.

Was when God shouts.

In other words, God will give your attention.

To call you repentance.

God acts.

God is holy.

God is a jealous God.

He wants worship.

Our worship.

He wants our fidelity.

And our loyalty.

And the children of Israel regularly.

Went up and down with that.

And when they did.

God would bring judgment.

So, here's what the minor prophets.

If you think about it.

Oh, the justice is going to be clear.

The holiness is going to be clear.

But I think really what we see in these books as well.

Is that God's promise of restoration.

That God loves to rescue.

His people.

Who wander from him.

So, if you read the minor prophets.

Don't miss the big picture.

The big picture is God's rescue.

And restoration.

In the midst of our sin.

And that's what makes God's love.

One of the things that makes God's love.

So astounding.

Is who he loves.

The pictures of God's love.

Theoretically.

God loves you.

And if you have honest appraisal.

Look in the mirror.

Unthornish.

Not in your best moment.

Not in your public moment.

But in your private moment.

In your worst moments.

If you're a child of God.

He still loves you.

And his love does not wane.

He loves people like us.

People who are prone to wander.

Prone to leave.

The God we love.

So the title of this morning's message is.

Do you hear him sing?

Do you hear him sing?

Here's the main point.

God's love.

For his people.

Is to be the controlling influence of our lives.

The animating.

Motivating.

All encompassing.

Effect.

In our lives.

So.

Zephaniah chapter 3.

Zephaniah 3 · chapter mention

We're going to read this.

And then pray.

I'm going to read verses 14 through 17.

Sing aloud.

O daughter of Zion.

Shout.

O Israel.

Rejoice.

And exalt with all your heart.

O daughter of Jerusalem.

The Lord.

Has taken away the judgments against you.

He has cleared away your enemies.

The King of Israel.

The Lord.

Is in your midst.

You shall never again fear evil.

On that day shall be said to Jerusalem.

Fear not O Zion.

Let not your hands go weak.

The Lord your God is in your midst.

A mighty one who will save.

He will rejoice over you with gladness.

He will quiet you by his love.

He will exalt over you with loud singing.

Let's pray.

Lord.

Lord.

We have read your word.

And I pray that you bless the reading of your word.

The reading of your word alone is powerful.

If we slow down.

We pay attention.

These are your very words.

And spirit of God.

I pray that you would.

Empower those words in our heart right now.

Lord.

Please help me to serve people who you do love.

whom you set your affection to and upon.

Lord.

You have purchased with your own blood.

Lord.

For anyone here who does not know you.

May they.

May they see the God of love.

And what you've done to express love to them this morning.

And may they respond to that great love.

Lord.

Help me to preach your word accurately.

For the benefit of your people.

In Jesus name.

Amen.

Amen.

I'm sure you've all experienced things that have taken your breath away.

One of the things I love to do is I love to hike.

So I've hiked.

I've hiked up in Acadia.

I've hiked out in Washington dozens of times.

Probably.

I've done backpacking in the presidential range.

In the White Mountains.

Which can be very challenging.

I've also gone out west.

I hike out west pretty much every summer.

I'll go out in Idaho, Montana, Wyoming.

I'm going to Wyoming this summer.

And I'll hike in the mountains.

I'll backpack four or five days out.

I've seen Christmas bears out.

Which is.

Sounds very thrilling until you see them.

And you go from it sounds exciting to actually.

I could be terrified of getting minutes of that.

But I've seen beautiful things.

True.

Glorious beauty.

And so I've gone up over mountaintops.

Over ridges.

Passes.

10,000.

11,000 feet.

And all of a sudden there'll be there.

Just a turquoise blue lake.

I mean it's pretty blue.

And it's just beautiful.

It's awe inspiring.

And then it's surrounded by snow capped mountains.

And you just look at it.

And you go wow.

Well this is gorgeous.

This is glorious.

This is beautiful.

This is majestic.

And it takes your breath away.

I was in Yosemite National Park.

And did some big hiking air.

And some backpacking air as well.

And we went to a place called Half Point.

And you can walk on Half Point.

You can walk right out to the edge.

To a 3,000 foot cliff.

Now actually I don't walk out to the edge.

Because if you're walking out.

You realize there's still nothing.

I'm not seeing a slope.

And you walk.

Not this far.

I'm coming back a little bit far.

Next thing I'm on my knees.

And next thing I'm crawling.

And there's one thing you do.

You crawl.

And you look over.

And it's 3,000 feet straight down.

I got a rock once.

It's through a rock.

It counts about nine before you heard it did.

And it's just.

Ah.

It takes your breath away.

Think about the experience.

This is a few of you.

And you've had it.

Taking your breath away.

And you're like.

Ah.

Wow.

Wow.

That's amazing.

Brothers and sisters.

The love of God is meant to take our breath away.

It's meant to have that same effect.

Ah.

God would love me.

Ah.

That way.

Me.

It's meant to have an effect on us.

To take our breath away.

This is what makes Zephaniah 3 an amazing text.

It is an amazing text.

And what makes it most amazing is the context.

So it's not just the text.

It's the context.

When this is written by the prophet Zephaniah,

at this point, all parts of society had turned from God.

Or were indifferent to God.

The priests were indifferent to God.

Had turned from God.

The princes were indifferent from God.

Or turned from God.

The merchants were.

Had turned against God.

The masses.

The elite people.

And the normal people.

Basically the nation of Israel had turned away from God.

Or had become indifferent to God.

And probably being indifferent to God is actually worse than turning from God.

So if you're turning from God.

You're coming against God.

You recognize it's there.

You're fighting.

Indifference is you're irrelevant.

Just treating someone like they're a non-person.

So indifference to God is a great evil.

A great affront.

The creator of the universe.

Who made this magnificent universe.

This complex universe.

And then people just walk around indifference.

I listen to sports radio regularly.

And people always say.

Well yeah I believe in God.

I believe in the analysis.

If I believe in God.

I'm like.

You just said something profound.

And you said it in such a trite way.

It has no meaning to you.

If there's a God.

He's either of ultimate being.

Or of no meaning.

But there's not mid-ground to you.

And this nation.

That God had chosen.

Who God had delivered out of Egypt.

Who God had done miraculous things to.

But God had made his own people well.

They were now.

Rebelling against God.

Or indifferent to God.

And it's in the midst of their indifference.

And their disobedience.

And their rebellion.

That God gives the promises that we read.

In Zephaniah chapter 3.

Zephaniah 3 · chapter mention

Now there's ways that this text is fulfilled.

In the Old Testament.

But this is mostly a messianic text.

It points what Christ will do.

And here's the news for us this morning.

Is God will always have the last word.

In the midst of their disobedience.

In the midst of their indifference.

God still is going to have the last word.

Here's why that's going to be discussed.

It means our circumstances do not have the last word.

It means other people in your life.

Do not have the last word.

And it means this.

Our sin does not always have the last word.

God has the last word.

So two points this morning.

Simple points.

Number one.

God loves to love his people.

And number two.

God's love is meant to control our lives.

First point.

God loves to love his people.

Look at verse 17.

The Lord your God is in your midst.

Strongly.

A mighty one who will save.

Now pay attention to the second half.

He will rejoice over you with gladness.

He will quiet you by his love.

He will exalt over you with loud singing.

Do you notice what's true of God in this text?

There is no reluctance.

There is no duty in his love.

There is the light in his love.

Now if you ask me.

How or why is God the light in us?

I really don't think I can answer that question.

Because he chose to.

Because we have potential.

There is no more of the good.

It is a choice he made.

It is the right he has.

And brothers and sisters.

This is a consistent theme in scripture.

Listen to these following texts.

We have these for you.

Psalm 149 verse 4.

Psalms 149:4

The Lord takes pleasure in his people.

He adores the humble with salvation.

Isaiah 62 verse 5.

Isaiah 62:5

The second half of verse 5.

As the bride who rejoices over the bride.

So shall God rejoice over you.

One of the great privileges I have.

As being a pastor.

I have done countless weddings it seems.

And one of the things I love.

Is when I am in the front eye.

I have a great seat.

So I have a groom right next to me.

And then the bride comes.

And I always like.

When the doors close.

And all of a sudden they open.

And the bride appears.

I watch the groom.

I look at the bride for a moment.

And then I watch the groom.

You know what I notice?

A man captivated.

A man in utter joy.

And a man saying.

Can you walk faster?

Right?

With the slow letting walk.

Grooms are like.

Come on.

Move along.

Let's play a fast tune.

Run down that aisle.

And that's how they think through that.

And so there's this.

There's this delight that God has.

In us.

Like a bride who rejoices over the bride.

So shall God rejoice over you.

Micah 7.18.

Who wants a God like you?

Pardoning and passing over transgressions.

Transgressions for the remnant of his inheritance.

Listen.

He does not attain his anger forever.

Because he delights.

He delights.

Instead.

Fast love.

Luke 15.

I think you're in a series of the Lord.

You're going to write a wonderful series.

That will be.

It is for you.

Luke chapter 15.

Luke 15 · chapter mention

Verse 7.

Just so I tell you.

There will be more joy in heaven.

Over one sinner who repents.

Than over 99 righteous persons.

Who need no repentance.

This is how God thinks about us.

Theologian Matthew Henry said it this way.

He's a theologian from the 1600s.

The great God only loves his saints.

But he loves to love them.

Now I want to pause for them.

And ask you a question.

Because you may be asking this question as well.

How can God sing over someone like me?

How can God sing over someone like me?

And if you're all like me at these times.

You can look in the mirror and say.

I'm a mess.

And there's times I think about my life.

And you have.

You're 60 years.

60 years old.

Five children.

Twelve grandchildren.

Been married for almost 40 years.

You.

Really never miss church.

You went to a Christian school for 11 years.

Been a pastor now for 35 years almost.

You should know that.

How can you make the same mistake?

How can you doubt?

How can you drift?

How many times do you need to be rescued?

And I can just say, Lord, I'm a mess.

That's not hyperbole.

It's not.

You know.

Sometimes you're going to think, well, I was a mess before I was a Christian.

And I think you know how to resolve that mess.

Before I knew Christ, I was like this.

But after I knew Christ, I'm supposed to be like this.

What would happen to the gap?

When we're not leading up and matching up to all of our expectations and all biblical expectations.

It could be a mess.

So I can make a mistake as a father.

And if you know my kids here, they come up and say, yeah.

And we tell you, there were times he got angry.

Simply angry.

All he did is be apologized.

He owned it.

But anger, as a husband.

40 years has not been just, man, look at that.

And it just started with glory.

And it's going glory to glory.

My mom's here.

I can't say that.

You know, I mean, she would have.

How many times do I have to tell you my birthday's important to me?

Really?

You would think that pain alone would have had me learn that lesson.

But I was like, because I didn't know my birthday's being important.

So I got out, hey, I'll get a present sometime the week of.

And for some reason, her feelings were hurt.

And he said, well, how many times have that happened?

Yeah, probably for a decade.

But, man, you are slow.

Yeah.

I'm being honest.

It's not ever early.

I don't mean, slow learn.

And folks, sin is stupid, too.

So I'm a mess.

As a pastor, I made mistakes.

As a person, my first, and this is actually,

my first message,

first Easter message when I was a pastor was in 1993.

And I was preaching out of Galatians 6.14,

where Paul talks about, you know,

forgive my ghost except in Christ Jesus,

you know, the cross and the crucifix.

So no other post.

During the message,

there's times when people are laughing at the right times.

I'm actually, you know, they're saying something,

and they're laughing.

And there's times I can tell that, you know,

oh, there's a little bit of soberness.

And in the middle of the message,

the message is,

boast only in Christ.

I had this thought come to my mind.

This is a good message.

Now, that's a hard place to think as a pastor,

because that way you think,

hmm, this is a good message.

What did I just do?

I just boasted about a message

that probably most people are going to remember

a week from now.

And I'm boasting about it.

It's my first Easter message.

And I'm boasting, this is a good message.

Point text.

We're always supposed to boast in Christ.

And then you start wondering,

is God going to kill me right now?

Like, is this going to be, like,

we're going to get church playing done

in, like, a week?

And it's going to be, well,

they started and they ended

because the guy died while preaching.

And while it's somewhat humorous,

I do feel God's rescue in those moments.

Because you know what,

in that message,

God was rescue.

Because God did say,

what did you just boast in?

Where are you going to find the identity?

And son,

pastor,

call man,

I love you enough

and I love those people enough.

I don't want you to find your identity

in performance.

I don't want you to find your identity

in pastoral success.

If you do that,

you'll not abusing people.

You won't be a servant.

You'll be a master.

And I love you enough

and I love them enough

to rescue you

during the message

to confront you,

to challenge you

in the message.

And so I'm preaching

and having a separate conversation,

in a sense,

with the Lord.

And I got in a good case.

Because I'm boasting

in the wrong thing right now.

So when I say I'm a mess,

it's not hyperbole.

But what do I have to do with my hope?

Well, my hope is found

in this text as well.

In the next verse,

verse 15,

the Lord has taken away

the judgments against you.

So you know why

I can tell you that story?

God has taken away

that judgment against me.

God has done something for me.

Folks, God is not like us.

God loves messes.

God loves messes.

God disciplines

even those that he loves.

And this is what it says

in Proverbs chapter 3.

Proverbs 3 · chapter mention

Do you see what God puts together

that we don't generally put together?

Discipline and delight.

Parentally,

I don't typically put

delight and discipline together.

Discipline is my disfavor,

right?

And favors when you're okay.

But actually,

God delights

in those he's also disciplined.

Oh God,

you are so,

so very different

than who I am.

You love messes.

You love your people.

Listen to this quote

from Charles Spurgeon,

who's my historical hero.

And apart from

biblical preachers,

I think the greatest preacher

of all time,

preached in England

as a young man

and then preached faithfully

over decades.

Charles Spurgeon said this,

the Lord takes pleasure

in them to fear him,

imperfect

though they may be.

He sees them

as they are to be

and so he rejoices

over them.

Even when they cannot

rejoice in themselves.

If you're here today,

you're like,

if you do my week,

if you knew yesterday,

if you're a parent,

you could be saying

if you knew this morning.

Or next week.

What happens next week?

Don't give me your good week.

What happens

when you have a bad week?

You have an indifferent week.

You have a more ridiculous week.

He rejoices over that

and anyone can not

rejoice in themselves.

When your face

is blurred with tears,

your eyes red with weeping,

and your heart

heaves the sorrow for sin,

the great Father

is rejoicing over you.

We are questioning,

doubting,

sorrowing,

trembling,

and all the while,

he who sees it from you,

the end from the beginning,

knows what will come

out of the present

disquietude,

and therefore rejoices.

let us rise in faith

to share the joy

of God.

And there seems to be

in this text

just one condition.

And the condition

is that we seek refuge

and actually to go back,

you know,

go back to verse 12,

just look up

from verse 14,

but it says here

in verse 12,

I believe in your risk

and people humble

and lowly,

they will seek refuge

in the name

of the Lord.

So what do they do?

These are people

who start to realize,

oh,

I need God,

I have been indifferent,

and now what I'm doing,

I'm not going to make it up,

I'm not going to pay for it,

I'm not going to try

to reform myself,

I'm going to look

to God,

I will seek refuge

in the name

of the Lord.

And that's where they

go,

to God.

Those who trust in God,

oh,

he rejoices

over those

who trust in himself.

Question,

have you placed

your trust

in Jesus Christ?

Have you?

Nothing more important,

most important question

to ever resolve

in your life,

right?

Christ is either true

of all the things

he said were about

and suffered true,

but utterly false

and not important.

Religion's not good

for just happy life,

successful life,

well-ordered life.

Paul would tell you

very clearly

in 1 Corinthians 15,

if Christ is not the race

and that your faith

is futile,

you're still of your sins,

and you turn

and you're married

for tomorrow you die,

it doesn't matter.

But if it's true,

it's eminently true.

It claims us,

it empowers us,

it directs our lives.

Do you know that God

loved you this way?

That he,

God is not tolerating you.

And I think because

we grew up in so much

of a performance culture,

and in performance,

how we do it,

it's so hardwired in us,

how you deal,

what you got to do,

what's your,

you know,

I played sports all gone,

how you performing,

did you work hard?

It's all my effort,

and then,

and the feedback

to my effort.

Work hard,

put more time in,

train more,

whatever's involved.

And there's so much

about performance

and acceptance,

and God says,

you didn't have a make.

So he looks at the

performance of his son

who lived a perfect life,

who died a death

in our place.

He says,

look to his performance.

And if you trust him,

if you seek refuge in him,

oh,

I sing over you,

and I rejoice over you,

and I sorrow over you,

even in your worst moments.

Doesn't mean he doesn't care

about those moments.

He'll rest for those moments,

but his love does not change

in those moments.

So that's the first one,

God's love.

God loves the love of people.

Second one,

God's love is meant

to control our lives.

And when I say control,

fuel,

direct,

encompass,

animate,

empower our lives.

God's love is meant

to control our lives.

So how?

How does this text inform us

of God's love

to control our lives,

to influence our lives?

So one of them,

they want to be happy.

Look at verse 14.

Sing around,

the Lord of Zion.

Shower with Israel.

Rejoice and exalt

with all your heart.

Be happy.

Now,

guys,

wait a second.

I heard Sean preach.

Sean talks,

it's not just about happiness.

It's about holiness.

It's about our joy.

I'm not sure

a flip of happiness.

I'm trying to take

your text.

It says,

sing,

rejoice,

exalt.

But here's what I think

that is.

You can grieve

and rejoice

at the same time.

My wife and I

experienced

in the last couple months,

I would say,

maybe the most

greatest trial

in our lives.

And so there's,

it was almost

a grief

that couldn't be covered.

And as we're

processing through that,

there was this,

this huge grief.

and yet,

there was also a,

still a,

but I know God.

And that can't change.

That won't change.

And I know God loves me.

I know God's fooling me.

And so you have this

grief on one side,

and yet,

a joy

and still a happenings

in the other.

And that just came from truth.

And I thought,

you know,

whatever assails me,

on this side,

this side remains true.

So grief,

but rejoicing

at the same time.

And there's a reason

for us to be happy.

There's a reason

for us to rejoice,

to resolve

with all our heart.

And we find a reason

in verse 15.

So rejoice.

Sing aloud, O Israel,

until our time.

Shout, O Israel.

There's joy.

There's happiness.

Rejoice.

Rejoice.

It's all your heart,

O daughter of Jerusalem.

Why?

Because the Lord

has taken away

the judgments against you.

He has taken away

all judgments.

This is what Christ

has done for us.

This is the truth

that stays with us.

Regardless of what's

going on out here,

circumstances,

people,

what are they doing?

What's happening?

Health reports.

Disappointments in life.

Goals that were

toward the goals.

Dreams that did not

happen.

What happens?

Why?

This is the other side.

He has taken away

all judgments

against me.

I love the hymn

of 4,000 times the same.

What's one of the

verses in that,

one of the statements

in that?

His blood can make

the fowls clean.

His blood

availed for me.

In Matthew 7, 19,

it talks about our sin

being cast

into the depths

of the city.

And that idea

of being cast

into the depths

of the city

means you never

see it again.

It's never brought

back against you.

So why are we

happy?

Because Christ

died for our sins.

That is categorical.

If that's true,

if you believe that,

that's the most

defining part

of your life.

Christ loved me

so much.

For God so loved

the world,

this is God,

they create this

immense, glorious,

complex world

by His voice

effortlessly.

Love me so much

that I love the world

that He gave His only Son.

That whoever believes

in Him shall not perish

in heaven's own life.

Do you see the lack,

in one sense,

the lack of effort

God had in creation?

He just spoke it

versus the effort

He had in redemption.

Redemption

cost His Son.

Creation

spoken.

Call it in a distance.

Redemption

about together.

Redemption

said,

I have to send

my Son

to die

for indifferent

people,

rebellious people.

And I'm doing that

because I love it.

And my Son

is going to die

on a cross.

And not just

the physical pain

of all that,

but we can talk

about all the physical

pain of dying

on a cross

and all that

happened to him

physically and body

and all the nerve

that means

and all the things

that he created

that they were

enraged in pain.

That was the spiritual.

This man

who knew no sin

had our sin

placed upon him.

Our guilt

placed upon him.

Our worst

moments

placed upon him.

Our moments

when we didn't know

Christ

placed upon him.

And our failures

after we know Christ

placed upon him.

Your sins

past,

present,

future

placed upon him.

And then you have

the God of justice

and holiness

punish his own son.

And a man

remembered,

oh,

creation

wants it's easy.

Redemption

costly.

For him.

But he loved us

that way

so

cause of that

oh,

we can now

be happy.

Our sins

have been resolved

by Christ.

His blood

can make

the fallous

from him.

His blood

availed for me.

So,

be happy.

Secondly,

be confident.

Be confident.

God is with you.

Look what else

he says

in verse 15.

The Lord

has taken away

the judgments

against you.

What else

has he done?

He has cleared

away your enemies.

The King of Israel,

the Lord,

is in your midst.

You shall never

again fear evil.

The Lord

is in your midst.

A mighty one

who will save.

And this is

the Lord here.

This is the covenant

keeping

majestic

God.

L-O-R-D

capitalized.

This is covenant

keeping

majestic

God

who does

all things,

has all power,

self-existent,

unchanging God.

He

will

save.

He

will

be

with you

for the

trial we are

in.

I,

for those

I am young,

I don't know

how to make sense

to this world,

nor how to live

in this world,

if you don't

have

Christ.

In other words,

you're either

not paying attention,

or everything's

breaking your way.

But what

happens when

the reality of

life

hits?

And hit

then where?

Live long

enough,

and you

will suffer.

Live long

enough,

I don't

face it,

our expectations

won't be met.

Just a point

will happen.

My son

has Crohn's

disease.

He's in his

thirties.

He's had it

since his

teen years.

He's got it

actually a

10 who

was diagnosed.

He's locked

about three

feet of his

intestines.

It's just

living in a

cursed,

fallen world.

And yet

there is

rejoicing in

his heart.

There is

a trusting

of God

in his

heart.

There is

that if I

wait until I

feel good

to do

things,

Lord,

I'll never

do anything.

So I

serve with

the strength

that God

has given

me.

And he

knows this.

God's

a company

to keep

me.

God is

with him

in the midst

of his

troubles.

And someday

his troubles

will all

resolve and

go away.

The king

of Israel,

the Lord

is in your

midst.

You shall

never again

fear evil.

When you

finish this

series in

1 Peter,

1 Peter 5

talks about

Satan being

a roaring

lion,

a lion who's

proud to

devour.

And we

not need

fear him.

We need to be

aware of him

without fear

him.

Resist him

and he

flees.

Why?

Because God

will clear out

my hands.

The Lord

God is

with me.

So we

can be

happy,

joyful,

we can

be confident.

Nothing

will change

the love

of God

towards us.

And what's

it say

here in

verse 17?

He will

quiet us

by his

love.

In

a child

when they

become

quiet,

they're

content

and

they're

secure.

And now

it's safe.

There's

something that

happens there

quieted by

the love

of God.

His

unchanging,

rejoicing,

singing love.

We are

quieted by

that love.

Listen to this

quote from

Jerry Bridges.

We're going to

make a book

for that

we have

to do

with the

Lord

to now

for decades.

Jerry

Bridges

said,

just as

God's

love to

his son

cannot

change,

so his

love to

us

cannot

change.

Because we

are union

with what

he loves.

God's

love to

us

cannot

fail

anymore

than his

love to

Christ

can

fail.

May that

love

help your

confidence.

So,

be happy,

be joyful,

secondly,

be confident,

and lastly,

be zealous.

Look at

verse 16.

On that

day,

it's

something that

said to

Jesus,

fear not,

O Zion,

and let

not your

hands

grow

weak.

Here's

what it

starts.

I mean,

the great

king has

rescued you,

he has

set his

love upon

you,

so now

serve him

with all

your might.

Seek

his

kingdom

first.

One of the

great joys of

church

plans,

so you're,

Sean,

how long is the

church

been here,

three years?

Yes,

in three years,

a church

plan,

which is

somebody

in our

25th

anniversary.

What a

great thing

to go

plan a

church,

to be

involved.

What a

great thing

to watch

God work.

I mean,

it's just

thrilling.

I pray for

the day

when you

guys will

plan other

churches.

And the

only,

it's a

joyful day

and a

hard day,

because two

things happen

at once.

You're

excited for

we're

planning

another

church,

exhilarating,

and then

you're

saying goodbye

to some

friends.

And that's

painful.

It's like,

I love you.

And we're

still friends,

but we

don't see

each other

the same

way,

because you're

going somewhere

else to build

and do

something

differently.

And there's

a cost in

that.

And we

plan at two

churches,

in both

tears,

tears,

and joy.

Brothers,

sisters,

God loves

you this

way,

serve you

on your

heart.

One of

the things

I have

felt through

life is I

have no

regrets of

serving Christ

regardless of

the cost.

You asked

me to walk

in the

army,

you said

you're 60,

taught me

alive.

I taught

my Christian

school for

nine years,

there was a

lot of

sacrifices

involved in

that,

pastoral

ministry for

almost 30

years now.

So I've

been Christian

ministry,

really,

from when I

graduated

college to

today,

it's been

all Christian

ministry.

I said,

well,

what about

the sacrifice?

What about

the sacrifice?

Absolutely.

What about

the pressures?

Absolutely.

Are financial

pressures fun?

No.

They're not.

They're hard.

Very hard.

It was hard

driving home to

our apartment

and we hit

Pennsylvania

when I was a

Christian school

teacher and

you know,

the people from

the world are

walking by

drunk and

cursing and

they're not

next door and

it's being accused

of his wife and

we're living in an

apartment and

you're just like,

Lord,

you said,

you know,

what guilt is

one that we

can't ask for

an angel?

We can't ask a

whole bunch more

than this.

There were

sacrifices.

It was hard.

We're not in the

same place today.

I'm grateful.

But yes,

you regret

sacrifices for

God.

I'll tell you,

counter-workly

and absolutely,

I have no

regret in serving

Christ at any

moment in my

life,

regardless of

course.

So where do you

have regrets?

You know where I

have regrets?

Serving myself.

Oh, I have

I can answer

about stuff.

I can talk to

you about

mistakes,

reasons,

mistakes,

sins.

You know,

in serving

God,

not once.

I've had

different trips

to India,

where I've done

pastors'

conferences in

India and

going there and

because of the

places I was in,

my life has

never threatened.

I don't act

like I'm some

courageous guy

or not.

But driving

in India itself

can be life-threatening.

If you've ever

driven in India,

it's very challenging.

And I think of

places where

missionaries

have been killed,

they've earned

200 Christian

homes.

I always had a

pastor I met,

knew someone

who'd been killed

through faith,

and certainly I

didn't knew

someone who was

beaten.

And so when I

wrote,

I left,

I wrote letters

to my family

and my church.

There are hard

letters to write

anything,

I wish I'd

come back.

I'm writing

to my bars

and I'm not

walking down

the aisle.

I'm writing

to my sons.

I'm writing

to my church.

I'm writing

to my wife.

Meet them.

So I'm writing

these letters,

but I hope

they'll never be

sent.

And in all

those letters,

it's like,

you know,

we end it

this way.

Follow Christ

with all your

heart,

serve Him

with all your

mind.

You'll have

no regret.

There may be

costs,

but you will

not have

regret.

What you're

doing,

you're

starting.

How do you

serve?

We've now

been 25

years.

We have

some guys

that have

been community

or community

or smaller

for 20

years.

I think,

you know,

what helps

a person

serve a

smaller group

of people

for 20

years?

Inspiration

can help

you for a

year or

two.

We're

inspired,

we're

acknowledging,

we're

starring,

it's a

startup

company,

we're

all in,

we're

70

hours a

week,

and what

happens over

time?

What

sustains

service over

time?

We know

it's a

God that

loves us

like this,

a God

that claims

us like

this,

a God

that's been

gracious to

us like

this.

So

serving,

you will

have no

regrets in

doing this.

Brothers and

sisters,

God loves

to love

us.

He rejoices

over you

with loud

singing.

Let this

be the

controlling

factor,

the compass,

the animating

effect in

your life

that sets

direction for

you.

More with

young audience.

Probably

ambitions.

Nothing

wrong with

jobs and

careers.

Nothing

wrong with

saving.

But what's

really

aiming,

what's

really

informing

your

priorities?

What

will

drive

your

priorities

at the

end of

the day?

Pray for

the children

in this

church,

and children

will grow up

and become

youth groups

on that.

You want

them to

see Christ

as the

most valuable

thing in

the world.

That's the

life, that's

what you're

building right

now.

That's the

example you

will set.

Thank you

for your

example.

Thank you

for what

you are

doing to

establish a

gospel presence

in Cambridge.

May that

gospel presence

in Cambridge

grow to

other

neighborhoods in

Cambridge and

beyond.

May the day

we say,

man, we've got

four churches

in the world.

It's all

many more

than that.

Many more

than that.

God's love

to us

informs us.

He loves

you.

He loves

to love

you.

Please

hear that.

And I'm

going to

close with