Promise

This morning we begin worship with:

Psalm 132:11-16
The LORD swore to David a sure oath from which he will not turn back: “One of the sons of your body I will set on your throne. If your sons keep my covenant and my testimonies that I shall teach them, their sons also forever shall sit on your throne.”

The LORD is a promise-keeper.  His name (Yᵊhōvâ) means “the existing one”.  No beginning.  No end.  No change.  James puts it this way.

James 1:17

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

We unfortunately do change.  Again from James:

James 1:6

But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.

Let us cry out as this father did:

Mark 9:22-24 

. . . And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”  

And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.”  

Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!”

 

All

This morning we begin worship with:

Galatians 3:13-14

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.

That curse was described a few verses earlier.

Galatians 3:10

For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.”

The condemning word is “all”.

But praise be to God, the word “all” is also in the prior verse!

 Galatians 3:8-9

And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.” So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.

 

Simple

This week we begin worship with:

Psalm 116:5-7
Gracious is the LORD, and righteous; our God is merciful. The LORD preserves the simple; when I was brought low, he saved me. Return, O my soul, to your rest; for the LORD has dealt bountifully with you.

To be simple (pᵊṯî) is not the idyllic state described in the Shaker hymn "Simple Gifts", nor is it a mental deficiency.  One is simple if one is easily swayed.

David had been swayed.  He was convinced in this Psalm that the world was out-to-get-him and that he was as we would say today "a victim".

Psalm 116:10-11

I believed, even when I spoke:

    “I am greatly afflicted”;

I said in my alarm,

    “All mankind are liars.”

But when he turned back to the Lord and understood the bounty of God's mercy, he instructed his soul "Return, O my soul, to your rest".  When we are likewise swayed, we should do likewise.

Time

Today we begin our worship with:

John 1:4-5

In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

This life (zōē) was part of creation for which He alone was responsible .

John 1:3

All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.

This light (phōs) has shone since the beginning of time.

Genesis 1:3

And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.

We look upon an old building or an old car that continues to have its original charm and say "It has stood the test of time". This light has never been overcome and the life we have been given will never end.  We will stand the test of time.