LIC Sunday Service | Where Is The Lord When The Righteous Feel Forsaken? | 6th March 2022

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[Music] foreign [Music] [Applause] [Music] shall rise [Music] is [Music] shall be [Music] thee [Applause] [Music] oh [Music] oh [Music] [Music] [Applause] so [Music] thank you for good singing we'll continue our service with another time of prayer shall we bow our heads in prayer i want us to come before god with thanksgiving this morning indeed we can never get tired of thanking god we can never get tired of thanking him for all he continues to do in our lives we may be tempted to take some things for granted but it is in him we live and have our being as as we come into his presence this morning let's come to him with thanksgiving thanking him even for the opportunity to be able to worship in peace for his protection his profession even as we are thankful to him we want to remember the people in ukraine once again and what is going on there ii chronicles 25 and 6 tells us that and jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of judah and jerusalem in the house of the lord before the court and said o lord god of our fathers are you not god in heaven you rule over all the kingdoms of the nations in your hand our power and might so that none is able to withstand you in your hand our power and might even as we bring the situation before god we need to understand who we've brought this before indeed he rules over all the nations and he is the one who can intervene in this there's not much we can do from here but we can cry out to the living god to intervene in this situation that he will step in indeed the heart of the king is in the hands of god we want to pray for all people who will be able to influence this situation we want to pray for putin any other person who may have an ability to influence the situation let's pray that god will touch their hearts god will cause them to react or respond in the right manner that will bring an end to the war in this area let's pray let's believe that god can be able to touch all people involved in this that he will move their hearts to respond in a right manner we want to pray that god will protect lives he will protect lives of especially his own in the midst of all this and he will give them peace even in the midst of war let's pray for god's protection for lives and property during this period there usually when we pray for the conflict in ukraine it's for the people of ukraine i want us to pray for people in russia also indeed there are many people there who may not be in favor of this they are children of god in russia also let's pray that god himself will be with them even in this time also that the psychological emotional effects may be lessened on them also that they will also be able to lift up prayer as as the conflict rages on finally the lord tells us in isaiah 14 24 the lord of hosts has sworn as i have planned so shall it be and as i have i have purposed so shall it stand let's pray that god's purposes and what he has said concerning ukrainian russia is what shall stand and it shall come to pass bring our prayers to ukraine to an end let's come home a bit i want us to lift up prayer for yet another unreached people group in ghana we want to pray for the kutukuli this morning they number about 90 000 in ghana and they practice mainly islam and mixed this is mixed with some syncretic beliefs we want to cry out to god that he himself will make it possible for these people to be reached that those who have been ordained those who may be sending the resources that he may be gathering that should be going in that direction will begin to move that way that their eyes will be opened finally we'll be praying a bit more for ghana later on but as as we mark the independency of ghana today i want each and every one of us to bring ourselves before god one thing we lack in this country is integrity pray for yourself that from today you will be a person of the highest level of integrity in ghana let's not look to others and say there's no integrity how are we being people of integrity pray that god will put that conviction in you that as you walk out of here today you will be a person of integrity that people can look to in ghana let's bring our prayers to a close let's thank god for answered prayer let's believe that he has had us and he will grant the desires of our heart father we thank you for the opportunity to bring prayer before you we we we thank you that this morning you have heard our pleas we thank you that in your own way and wisdom you will grant the desires of our heart we thank you for answered prayer and in jesus name have we prayed and we thanksgiving amen we'll continue our service with a time of adoration to be led by the father good morning church please shall we kindly rise to our feet and if you are joining us from home kindly join us as well even as we lift up the name of the lord he's the same yesterday today and forever he's the alpha in omega and we also want to declare his majesty this morning amen [Music] would [Music] oh [Music] [Music] [Music] oh [Music] oh oh oh [Music] [Music] [Music] oh [Music] you are [Applause] you are [Music] here [Music] we give you we worship yourself oh give you [Music] we me you you deserve it lord [Music] [Music] is [Music] victoriously is oh [Music] is for you [Music] oh is foreign [Music] so let's take a moment just to reflect on this god that we just sung to indeed he's the same yesterday today and forever [Music] he sees he knows everything that goes on in our lives and in this world nothing is hidden from him has come before god it's under his name let's glorify his name let's worship him from the depths of our hearts let's offer him the fruit of our lips for indeed he alone deserves him [Music] so [Music] for your throne [Music] so lord we just want to bless you for this time that we can come and adore you in song and in our words we pray oh god that may you be glorified always have your way lord in jesus mighty name amen please take your seats lycee lic i read from matthew chapter 14 the verse 30 and 31 it says but when peter saw the wind he was afraid and beginning to sink he cried out to the lord save me jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him saying you of little faith why did you doubt he cried out to the lord and jesus immediately reached out his son and took hold of him maybe this morning you are here and something is trying to sink you you feel like you are sinking maybe in your health in your finances or any circumstance that is trying to sink you jesus is here this morning to take hold of you so that you will not sink if you have any burden this morning please rise up on your feet as we cast it before the lord m [Music] [Music] foreign [Music] and beginning to think he cried out to the lord saying he saved me and jesus immediately reached out to him and took hold of him i want you to cast your abundance upon the lord this morning that same hand that saved peter is here to uphold you [Music] we have come to the lord begin to speak to the lord about the challenges that abandoned whatever is trying to sink you [Music] [Music] my finances save me in my health [Music] save me in my hardship save me in that difficulty [Music] save me in that childbirth see me in my head and pain save me [Music] and jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him this morning the lord is taking hold of you and your circumstance in the name of jesus begin to thank him that it is done but this is the confidence we have in coming to him that when we pray according to his will he hears us and because he hears us we receive of the answer for which we have come it is done forever his word is settled in the heavens shall we pray [Music] our god and our father we thank you that your arms are not too short your power is unlimited your wisdom man can comprehend and when we come to you lord with our burdens you are not a high priest who cannot be touched with our infirmities you have gone through every single thing we are going through and therefore you are able to help us so this morning we cry out to you the lord you stratfor your hands towards your children and bring them out of any situation which is trying to drown them and this morning we pray in the name of jesus the lord the burdens will fall at the feet of the lord jesus christ we will see your glory every burden every oppression every activity of the evil one every life circumstance which is trying to diminish your glory in our lives we pray this morning the lord they will all power the truth of the lord jesus the lord your children will receive your help your salvation in every way for your glory in the name of jesus thank you the lord it is done because we have asked this in the name of our lord and savior jesus christ thank you lord in jesus mighty name we pray and we're thanksgiving amen please take your seats if you are here this morning and you are mourning you've lost a loved one please rise up and let's pray for you for those grieving this morning want to pray with you you are the god of all compassion the father of all all comforts and this morning lord will lift up your children before you lord you are grieving because you have lost a loved one but thank you the lord in times like this your love is made manifest to us and so we pray our lord your hands of comfort will reach your children in their times of mourning and weeping and we pray in the mighty name of jesus father minister healing to their grieving souls and cause them to experience your love and your comfort thank you that in all these things we are aware that nothing can separate them from the love of god which is in christ jesus we pray for prohibition for them we pray for sustenance we pray for encouragement and we pray that lord you'll see them through the whole process of mourning so that lord in the end our joy in you would even be renewed more and more we thank you and we bless you in jesus mighty name amen please take your seat finally we want to pray for those celebrating their birthdays and wedding anniversaries if much is the month of your birthday or wedding anniversary please rise up on your feet as we pray for you want to pray for our brothers and sisters father we bless you and adore you and lift up these ones life is a gift from you lord we are not alive we are not alive because of what they eat or how careful they are it has just been by your grace and we pray and thank you for adding another year to their lives thank you for helping them see this month of their birth we pray and we commit the next year into your hands and we pray that lord your hands will take hold of the ends of the idea and shift every kind of evil out of it in the mighty name of jesus we pray that lord god in this year they will know you more intimately we pray that in this year they would enjoy fellowship with you you order their steps and lead them in the way they should go we pray in the mighty name of jesus that if there were any challenges they brought into this new year lord you take over you take full control and lord go ahead of them level every mountain fill every valley break through every gates of bronze and answer your children more and more into your glory and into your goodness we thank you that lord a year by this time as they look back they will say indeed god has brought us thus far we bless you and we adore you in jesus mighty name we pray for the marriages and we ask the lord you will pour your love afresh into the hearts of the couples we pray that lord whatever the enemy has stolen from these marriages you replenish 100 food so the lord they can bring you honor and glory in their marriage we thank you and we bless you in jesus mighty name we pray and we're thanksgiving amen praise the lord praise the lord it's now time for us to pray for this country i have spoken to people who were internally displaced because of ethnic conflict in northern ghana in 1994 and i had the opportunity to interview a lot of liberian refugees who came to ghana in 1991 and you would not want to be one of those we want to there are a number of topics so we share them among the congregation let us suspend our anger against anything our cynicism let's come before god in humility to intercede for this country we want to ask the people the worshipers up here upstairs in the gallery nearest the anglican church to give thanks for this country thank god for his protection that kovid was not as bad in this country as it was elsewhere thank god for his preservation for major disasters or civil war everything that is positive about ghana give thanks from this side up to the left side of the control room on my left and please for people from this side still in the gallery we are going to confess the sons of this country from petty to grand corruption of governments and citizens since independence and even before let us confess the sense of the country let us confess the sense of occultism especially people who have one foot in the church and one foot or have a juju under their beds or elsewhere let everything that is negative in this country all our sins bring them before the lord let's ask for forgiveness we want the choir to pray for the president and his cabinet for courage and wisdom and wisdom from god to be able to lead this country the way he wants so that they'll be able to take the right decisions and the people on the side downstairs to my left let us pray for the education sector the health sector and the financial sectors for the people who don't pay their taxes for economic sabotes for everything that is not going right in education and health and our finances and last let's ask god to give grace to set things right for the people here please we want you to pray for the youth of this country that god will give them purpose and focus and direct them that god will raise a generation of people who will love him for the people outside pray for the church that god will raise a generation of christians who will wear integrity and righteousness as a belt and as a helmet people who lead the fight against corruption and not have love of money as their god let's also pray that god will help the citizens of this country to lead responsible lives and god will silence all the people who are fermenting trouble calling for coup and so on that's for the people outside please rise and bring let's bring our petition before the lord remember what we are praying for and ask god to help this country and tell god he will play your part to helping you to play your part to make this country what it should be forgive ourselves jesus she says jesus is [Music] is [Music] jesus [Music] um [Music] jesus [Music] let's get ready to bring our prayers to a close and then reverend cousin will sum up our prayers for the nation [Music] begin to thank the lord begin to thank the lord [Music] yes [Music] oh [Music] [Music] is [Music] heavenly father we give you praise and glory for our dearness in ghana and father we thank you the lord in spite of all our sins and short for us your mercy is still constant it is a miracle father that lord we are still alive and we are still existing as a nation and we thank you and appreciate your mercies that has been with ghana all these years and father this morning we come before you and confess our sins we acknowledge the lord we have not done what you expect of us father we have enjoyed your goodness our lord we have not lived to honor you and we pray in the name of jesus the lord you will wash us by the precious blood of jesus christ we pray that lord god every corner of this nation will be touched by the blood of jesus and father this morning we come to you and we ask for the help of the holy spirit sometimes lord we assume that we should know what is right but we acknowledge this morning that without your help we cannot do what is right and so we pray that the holy spirit of god will take total control of every heart from the president to the every single person in this nation father let the holy spirit guide us so the lord we will not live to gratify the desires of the flesh and we pray for the church oh lord how we have neglected evangelizing people and putting christ in the house of people we pray that lord your church will arise and shine like light in this nation father we pray in the name of jesus that your children will be salt and light wherever you put them so that corrosion and rottenness will not prevail in the mighty name of jesus and father we pray and we acknowledge that we are going through difficult times and we pray that your help will come to ghana in the mighty name of jesus we pray that you will give every single heart selflessness we will not be corrupt we will not look to our own interests but to the interests of others and to the next generation father we pray in the name of jesus that as we celebrate the bad day of ghana today father in the mighty name of jesus lord let every single thing that ought to change in this nation be moved and changed by your mighty hand in the mighty name of jesus people who are to move from their positions so that your your goodness and your mercies for this nation will prevail father let them be removed in the mighty name of jesus people who are hidden in places who are to be exalted so the lord your agenda will be pushed we pray that like you found david at the back of the wilderness you will find these people and introduce them into the lamb light in the mighty name of jesus and father we pray that next year when we stand here to celebrate the independence day of ghana we can look back and say of truth the lord has intervened in the affairs of this nation father we pray that any demonic powers occultism which has been asset into this nation idolatry and things with fight against the spiritual life of this mercy we are praying in the mighty name of jesus like dagon bowed before the act of god we pray that anything that does not align with jesus will bow to the authority of the lord jesus ghana will become a nation that fears god a nation that references christ a nation that lives in the light of the holy spirit we thank you and we bless you and we adore you and we lift you up knowing that lord you'll do much more than we have asked or even imagine according to your power to work within us we thank you and we bless you in jesus mighty name we pray and we thanksgiving amen now we will remain standing and ask the choir to lead us to sing the national anthem [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] my forever [Music] forevermore [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] is [Music] if [Applause] [Music] of god [Music] [Music] is [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] oh [Music] um at this point would like to acknowledge our first time vistas those who are here with us if you are here for the first time would be very grateful if you could stand so that we take notes of you first-time visitors thank you very much watch out for more details as to what to do at the end of the service for those online just give your screen a wave and god will see you and we'll also give you some details after we will also like to welcome mr and mrs daniel anochi mensah who are appearing for the first time as husband and wife in lich stand around and give us away thank you very much you may resume your seats so they got married in takradi and daniel is a member of lic we'll have a time of praise during which we'll take our offer tree um for those of us inside the baskets will come around we'll come around there are also online options for those of us joining online and those who still like online anyway so time of praise [Music] praise the lord please shall we be on our feet [Music] we want to enter [Music] his gates with thanksgiving and his hearts of praise shall we start my club [Music] [Music] oh he is is forever god is faithful forever god is strong forever god with us forever forever god is faithful forever is and by the grace of god we will carry on grace god is with us forever and ever forever god is faithful forever god god is with us forever and ever with a grateful heart with a song of praise with an i'll ostrich your name thank you lord i just wanna thank you i just wanna thank you lord i just wanna thank you lord thank you lord i come before you today and there's just one thing that i want to say thank you lord [Music] for all you've given to me for all the blessings thank you lord thank you lord with a grateful heart [Music] i just want to thank i just want to thank you lord thank you lord i just want to thank you lord take your place [Music] as we sing around foreign [Music] lord come and change [Music] as we sing you foreign we lift you up we lift you up on our prayers we lift you up we lift you up on our way we lift you up we lift you up all take your right [Music] [Music] of the world oh he will answer us if we run to him he will run to us if we lift our hands he will lift us up he is we will oh [Music] and we will shout it out shut it up god is fighting for us pushing like the darkness alive i will live i will not die in jesus name may the name of the lord be praised hallelujah amen father we just want to give praise and glory to you indeed it's a privilege and an honor to come into your presence with joy father we want to pray that you ask you would receive the offerings that we brought before you i pray and ask oh god that you use them for the expansion of your kingdom and we pray oh god that lord may our lives continue to bring glory to you thank you o lord for hearing us in jesus name amen amen take your seats thank you praise team a few reminders and notices to take note of so first time visitors you are welcome once again for those of you who are joining us online there's a zoom room would like you to log in to write after the service to meet with our reception team so the details are displayed right now please take notes and login right after the service for those of us for those of you who are here with us this meeting will take place on the next corridor there's a room marked um visitors reception please go there right after the service to also meet with our reception team the children's ministry will meet all parents for a brief meeting here in the sanctuary um for those who are not here physically there will also be a zoom option for those parents to log on via zoom i think the details will be displayed the meeting is it's 15 minutes after the service and it will take less than on our so please note our parents our online christian life seminar is this wednesday ninth march at 6 30 p.m also via zoom the topic is raising resilient families in a digital age professor felix and mrs naodi asanti will be our resource persons you may send your questions ahead of time by email to the email r iit at edu at ug.edu.gh yeah so it's displayed so if you have any questions please take notes of the email and send your questions to it um the details for the zoom link that will be used for this meeting will also be displayed and also be shared with us during the week this friday is also our fiscal prayer meeting that's the night of encounter it starts at 7 pm as usual and we are all encouraged to attend there will be no registration but note that covert protocols will be observed next sunday 13th march is also prayer service so let us come with prepared hearts to commune with the lord who answers prayer nominations from units of the church onto the council of eldest is still open and will be open till tuesday 15th march 2022 please do well to nominate someone registration for our sunday fiscal service as we have said is no longer done before it's done on the day of the event and on that day the event is activated at 7 00 am every sunday so that we can do self registration for those who may need help if you come here or when you choose the assisted registration option there'll be people here to assist you do the registration um assisted registration and covert protocols begin at 8 30 a.m every sunday kindly take notes and also when you register you don't have to congregate at the entrance again once you coming observe all covered protocols and go straight to your seats please also come ellie to ensure you are seated before the service begins we announced the home call of mr frederick christian ngati father of mrs caroline anoche the memorial service is this saturday at akutolante here in accra please visit the notice board to sign up for the service is if caroline and the family are here could you briefly come forward so that we take note of you please raise the congregation and take off your mask briefly so that we can see your thank you very much you may resume your seats also we are encouraged to visit the noticeboard to sign up for the funeral of madame grace autry mother of mr yao chen yaboa popularly known as tui the funeral is this saturday at swederu in the central region and also we have to note that the funnel service for our late sister madame serra for abedu is this saturday 12 march 7 am here in this sanctuary let's come and bid our sister farewell let's spare these families in prayer during the week as they mourn bonds of marriage we publish the bands for the first time between mr de la li mr de la derek atipo of lic and miss yvonne telmark podu of the apostolic church of ghana medina area and if derek and yvonne are here would be grateful if you could come forward and would also be very grateful if you could take off your mask for a microsecond thank you very much so that's that de la and yvonne please inform the pastors or presiding orders if you know of any just and valid reasons why these persons may not be lawfully joined together in marriage let's also bear them up in prayer as their day of joy draws near um at this point we'll ask the pastoral team to pray for the children as they go into their sunday school classes and right after that we'll take the bible readings children please rise and let's pray we thank you father for these wonderful treasures you have given to families the church the nation and the world we pray that you will bless them we pray that you protect them we pray that you will give their parents and their caregivers all that they need to take good care of them and may we the adults of this country strive and do our part so that they will grow up into a peaceful country and become responsible citizens thank you lord jesus amen our song for consideration this week is from psalm 22 psalm 22 reading from verse 1 through to verse 31 psalm 22 1 to the end i'm reading from the niv please let's hear the word of god my god my god why have you forsaken me why are you so far from saving me so far from my cries of anguish my god i cry out by day but you do not answer by night but i find no rest yet you are enthroned as the holy one you are the one israel praises in you our ancestors put their trust they trusted and you delivered them to you they cried out and were saved he knew they trusted and were not put to shame but i am a worm and not a man scorned by everyone despised by the people all who see me mock me they hell insults shaking their heads he trusts in the lord they see let the lord rescue him let him deliver him since he delights in him yet you brought me out of the womb you made me trust in you even at my mother's breast from birth i was cast on you from my mother's womb you have been my god do not be far from me for trouble is near and there is no one to help many bulls surround me strong booth of bashan and circle me roaring lions that tear their prey open their mouth wide against me i am poured out like water and all my bones are out of joint my heart has turned to wax it has melted within me my mouth is dried up like a posthead and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth you lay me in the dust of death verse 16 dogs surround me a pack of villains encircles me they pierce my hand and my feet all my bones are on display people stare and gloat over me they divide my clothes among them and cast lots for my garment but you lord do not be far from me you are my strength come quickly and help me deliver me from the sword my precious life from the power of the dogs rescue me from the mouth of the lions save me from the horns of the wild oxen i will declare your name to my people in the assembly i will praise you you who fear the lord praise him all you descendants of jacob honor him refer him all you descendants of israel for he has not despised or scorned the suffering of the afflicted one he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help verse 25 from you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly before those who fear you i will fulfill my vows the poor will eat and be satisfied those who seek the lord will praise him may your hearts live forever all the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the lord and all the families of the nations will bow down before him for dominion belongs to the lord and he rules over the nations all the rich of the earth will feast and worship all who go down to the dust will kneel before him those who cannot keep themselves alive verse 30 posterity will serve him future generations will be told about the lord they will proclaim his righteousness declaring to a people yet unborn he has done it amen our second scripture reading is taken from the gospel of mark chapter 4 verse 35 to 41 mark 4 verse 35 to 41 i'm reading from the new living translation let's hear the word of god as evening came jesus said to his disciples let's cross to the other side of the lake so they took jesus in the boat and started out leaving the crowds behind although other booths followed soon a fierce storm came up high waves were breaking into the boat and it began to fill with water jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion the disciples woke him up shouting teacher don't you care that we are going to drown when jesus woke up he rebuked the wind and said to the waves silence be still suddenly the wind stopped and there was a great calm then he asked them why are you afraid do you still have no faith the disciples were absolutely terrified who is this man they ask each other even the wind and waves obey him this is the word of god our sermon topic for today is where is the lord when the righteous feel forsaking and our preacher is reverend dr femi adelie dr femi needs no introduction to lic he's been here a number of times he's an executive director with the institute for christian impact before we take the sermon we'll take our pre-sem on him god moves in a mysterious way we'll take only the first and the last [Music] is [Music] [Applause] [Music] is [Music] is [Music] good morning church l.i.c hallelujah i want to thank the council of elders as well as the pastors of lic for the privilege to share god's word with us on this special day of ghana's independence we thank god for his grace over this nation and his peace for the common good of all of us where is the lord when the righteous feel forsaken where is the lord when the righteous feel forsaken is the subject for our reflection this morning and this question is an important one is an age long question which many have struggled with for generations it's often an uncomfortable question for christians not least because we know and rely on god's many promises for us including the one that says i will never leave you nor forsake you or are often repeated addendum to the benediction surely goodness and mercy shall follow me follow us all the days of our lives and we shall dwell in the house of our lord forever therefore for those of us who believe this the question is uncomfortable where is the lord when the righteous feel forsaken it's also a question that people of no faith in god people who don't believe in god at all love to throw back at christians especially when such people of god are in affliction or difficult circumstances they yell out where is your god after all you trust in him don't you trust in him don't you believe in him to take care of all that concerns you now see your situation where is your god this morning as we reflect on this i like us to bear three important things in mind related to this question the first is that even for christians there will often be times in life when we feel forsaken there will always be time in life when we feel forsaken secondly there is always a different perspective between how we feel and reality reality from god's perspective thirdly not least there is often if not always often a higher purpose in all that we go through in life that leads to that question where is the lord when the righteous feel forsaken shall we pray together our heavenly father we thank you for the privilege of worshiping freely on harassed undisturbed unlike some other context of the world where war and instability or persecution makes it impossible we do not take your peace over this nation for granted not we take for granted your love and concern for us as your people lot as we celebrate the independence of ghana today we continue to entrust this nation in your hands that lord to be a harbinger of peace not only to people in this nation but neighboring countries a lot as we reflect on the truth of your word this morning may you guide our reflection and speak to each one of our situations regardless of what it is that may cause us to ask at one time or the other where are you o lord in my current circumstances so lead us in jesus name amen if i were to ask us today have you ever felt forsaken not only by the lord but by people you love have you ever felt betrayed or let down by people you love people you are concerned about people you expect so much from how many of us have not felt abandoned or forsaken praise god if there are many of us who have not but may it not be because we are in denial of those circumstances as we reflect this morning let's begin by establishing that the holy scriptures the bible inspired by the spirit of god does not shy away or hide from presenting life as it is i'm sure if you are like me there are portions of the scriptures you probably wish were not documented for instance came murdering his brother so early on after we've studied death their account of adam and eve or the genocide like atrocities in the part of the israelites to the promised land or the afflictions of people like job the lament of naomi sometimes we cringe when we read this in the scriptures or in fact even crossing over to the new testament when we consider the church in the provinces of corinth a church highly gifted prophetic ministry speaking in tongues and yet in the church there is sexual immorality there is incest they took one another to cut and yet the bible documents all of this the bible tells it as it is including records and accounts of righteous people who have felt forsaken or betrayed righteous people like joseph who was not only betrayed by his brothers and sold off as a slave but was wrongly accused by potiphar's wife of adultery and sent into a dungeon for quite a while righteous people like jacob who after he had lost joseph exclaimed to his children you have deprived me of my children joseph is no more simeon is no more and now you want to take benjamin everything is against me that was his exclamation in genesis 42 34 everything is against me or the lament of naomi after losing all that she had she returned home to our community and said do not call me naomi any longer call me mara beta for the almighty has dealt very bitterly with me friends these are real experiences situations in which the righteous feel forsaken we are familiar with the account of job the affliction now let's bear in mind job was not private to the conversation between satan and god almighty when he lamented in job chapter 3 from verse 3 may the day of my birth perish and the night that said a boy is conceived that day may it turn to darkness may god above not care about it may no light shine on it may gloom and utter darkness claim it once more may a cloud settle over it that night may thick darkness sees it may it not be included among the days of the year not be entered in any of the months have you ever felt like that when relationships come crashing down people you trust betray you or other situations in life make you feel where is god in all of this other saints have faced it before daniel was wrongly accused ended up in the lion's den in the text before us today psalm 22 we get significant glimpses into the lament of a righteous person who feels forsaken now this psalm is understood to have been written by king david about a thousand years before it became prophetic fulfillment in the life and ministry of our lord jesus christ if you study the account of king david for many years he fled for his life before king's soul who was after him to hunt him down david has his fair share of afflictions but it seems that this psalm speaks to more than david it came from the lips of david but the description here seems more gruesome more terrifying than anything david could have gone through as a human being and this is why scholars agree it is a prophetic pointer to that day on which the lord jesus christ hung on the cross for the sins of the world and you will find similarities between psalm 22 and the account of the crucifixion of the lord jesus christ a mark the gospel according to saint mark in the gospel according to saint matthew so consider his lament in verse one my god my god why have you forsaken me why are you so far from from me far from saving me from the words of my groaning oh my god i cry by day but you do not answer i'm by night but i find no rest you know some sometimes we people of faith want to live in denial we believe in positive confession this kind of confession should not be from a christian no the writer here faced the silence of god and the silence of god can be devastating it can be disturbing did he feel the presence of god leaving him or is it the pain of the circumstances he was in in verse six if you move forward he likens himself to an insignificant warm that anyone can trot upon that's how it feels when life seems dreadful when we feel for second beyond that it says people around me mock me rather than sympathize with me rather than empathize with me they mock me in verse seven all who see me mock me they make mouths at me they make faces at me they they grimace at me they walk their heads he trusts in the lord let him deliver him let him rescue him for a delight in him they said a mockery this was the experience of the psalmist probably david sometimes felt like that but significantly you find the same lament in matthew chapter 27 39-43 and those who passed him those who passed the lord jesus christ derided him working their heads and saying you who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days save yourself if you are the son of god come down from the cross so also the chief priests the religious leaders the chief priests who describes and elders mocked him saying he saved others he cannot save himself isn't he the king of israel is the king of israel let him come down from the cross and we will believe in him a trust in god let god deliver him now if he desires him for he said i am the son of god that's the lament we see in psalm 22 but also in matthew 27 and then in verse 9 of that psalm he looks back it reflects over his life you know there are times where in trouble and we ask why am i here why did i ever get how did i ever get here what was my life like and then we look back we look back where have we come from what is our ancestry our parent parentage where did we come from the psalmist did precisely that invasion he says yet you are the one who took me from the womb i didn't bring myself into the world you brought me into the world you took me from the womb you made me trust you at my mother's breast on you i was cast from my birth and from my mother's womb you have been my god so he looks back and uses that to make a plea verse 11 be not far from me for my trouble is near and there is none to help and it describes how ferocious his enemies were how can picture those roman soldiers and others who mocked the lord jesus christ on the cross verse 12 many bulls encompassed me strong bulls of bastion surround me the most ferocious of bulls bulls of bastion they open wide their mouths at me like a ravening and roaring lion they are like fierce massless beasts with no conscience brutally attacking their victims friends there are times life becomes like that for believers we can cannot be so heavenward looking that we dismiss the realities of what it means for you to be denied promotion when you know you are entitled to it you've performed you've worked very hard and you are overlooked because some other people have passed some money in some envelope or when you've been victimized wrongly accused perhaps like joseph or perhaps like daniel who excelled in governance excelled as an administrator and people were so envious but there was nothing they could find against him so they accused him on account of his faith perhaps you've been in that situation the psalmist continued his lament we don't have time to get through all the verses but from verses 16 to 19 i'll read the dogs have surrounded me the congregation of the wicked has enclosed me they pierced my hands and my feet can you see how david looks forward to the crucifixion of the lord jesus christ i can count all my bones they took and stare at me they divide my garments among them and for my clothing they cast lots that's the lament of the psalmist that is the experience of the lord jesus christ so the first emphasis i've made this morning by god's grace is that there will always be times in life when we feel forsaken either by god or other people yet yet with all this both related to the psalmist and our lord jesus christ our second emphasis this morning there is always a difference between how we feel what we are passing through how we feel and reality from god's perspective the global novelist chimamanda ngozi adichie has written and spoken quite a bit on the danger of a single story the danger of a single story and by that she argued that single stories often originate from simple misunderstandings or lack of complete knowledge about other people or circumstances essentially it demonstrates that what we know or what we go through is only one side of the story and this is as true be it in human relationships life experiences or our feelings in contrast to realities from god's perspective so when there is a breakdown in relationships breakdown in institutions there is often the other side that in our limited understanding we don't have a full picture of so there is danger in embracing just one side of the story the same is true in the current crisis in the ukraine in in ukraine and russia it depends on whose news you read it depends on who who interprets is russia right in invading ukraine many will shout no others will say yes yes he could not have avoided it it depends on whose story you're listening to but for us today more importantly there is a difference between how we feel when we pass through difficulties and reality from god's perspective this is not to say our feelings are not right or we should deny the feeling you know the feeling of now me in saying no longer call me by this name call me mara is a real feeling of distress the lament of job when he continues to say he has removed my brother's far from me and my acquaintances have completely enstranged as completely and strange from me my relatives even my relatives have failed me and my close friends have forgotten me these are real experiences we can't pretend they are not there verse 1 of psalm 22 is real my god my god why have you forsaken me nevertheless there's a difference between those feelings and reality for example we can ask concerning joseph where was god when joseph was sold and thrown into a well where was god when he was falsely accused and sent to prison god was there all the time and not indifferent where was god when jacob exclaimed everything is against me friends god was there and not indifferent where was god in the lament of job god was there and not indifferent and indeed where was god when the psalmist and the lord jesus christ shouted eli eli lama tony on the cross god was there and not indifferent even if all those people could not see him so it's like we see one side of what is going on god sees the side of his conversation with with satan we see what joseph was going through but god saw his destination the preparation for all that joseph will become we see the crowd so the lord jesus christ hanging on the cross but god from eternity saw what he was walking at of course in scripture we often get slight glimpses of the other side of the story so even today in the psalm we've just read there are glimpses of the other side from verse 21 to the end of the chapter are indications of hope and confidence i will declare your name to my brethren it begins in verse 21 by saying you have answered me you have answered me in the midst of the assembly i will praise you and if you read to the end of that psalm it's a glimpse of the other side of the story the evidence of hope the evidence of confidence in a god who is present and at work this is also reflected in job in all its afflictions even when his friends moralized and lectured him and his wife said hey this has gone too far you just caused god and died what was his response i know that my redeemer lives hallelujah job chapter 19 25 for i know i know i'm experiencing differently i'm feeling differently but i know that my redeemer lives and shall stand on the last day on the earth and after my skin is destroyed this i know that in my flesh i shall see god whom i shall see for myself and my eyes will behold and not another how my heart yearns within me there will be times in life when you feel forsaken when people around you ask where is her god where is is god the other side is what we know by god's assurance this was the situation with the disciples where was god where was jesus christ when they were caught in the storm in the new testament in the gospel read to us from mark chapter 4 35 caught in the storm that almost overturned their boat where was jesus we had it he was sound asleep i love that i love that version right to us that with a cushion he was sound asleep with a cushion we've got to understand more of what it means to have a savior who can sleep on a cushion in the midst of a storm you been caught in turbulence before you know what i'm talking about i've been frequently caught in flight doppler turbulence in which the aircraft drops thousands of miles some years back going to colombia bogota from chicago it was the aircraft developed some fold and we must have dropped about 15 000 feet there was panic there was pandemonium on the aircraft eventually we were diverted to montego bay in in jamaica we stayed there for a day because they had to send a different aircraft but the sense of panic the sense of panic even after they've sent the next aircraft some of the travelers said they are not going they are not ready to travel in turbulence where is god friends the god who holds the helm of the universe and the lives of every individual created in this image is there and is not indifferent hallelujah so god's reality is firmly established beyond whatever our circumstances may be no matter what you are passing through today may god give you the assurance not to be afraid or to disappear the assurance to be able to say like job i know i know that my redeemer lives and this brings us to the third aspect of our reflection that there is often if not always a higher purpose to all that to go through for all that to go through in life there is a higher purpose when seen from the perspective of god and related to some of the names i've mentioned regardless of how joseph or jacob jacob may have felt god was at work in and through their experiences in fact careful observers will notice that even in the dreams that teenage joseph had god had demonstrated some things all that joseph went through is including his dungeon experience where preparation to a higher purpose what was the higher purpose to rescue israel and not only israel but egypt and surrounding nations from a devastating farming that lasted seven years to lift joseph up as prime minister or chief economic minister who had good stewardship of the economy of the nation to mitigate the challenge of the famine but you know what it's not just about the famine it's god demonstrating its manifold wisdom through yourself to nations who knew nothing about the salvation of god for naomi beyond her lament the higher purpose of god is the opening of the grace of god that brings salvation to all men to gentiles that's where we first saw god's important redemptive action related to gentiles and as for job and his travels the higher purpose of god i believe is god's intention to declare to satan and all powers and principalities that he god has chosen to share some of his attributes holiness loving kindness righteousness people created in the image of god it was to be a warning to satan and all the past and principalities that it was god who turns sinners into saints after all remember what the wager was when god said to job in chapter one verse eight have you considered my servant job that there is none like him on the earth a blameless and upright man who fears god and shones evil that was the purpose of god because god would come to declare the same thing to the church in the regions of ephesus through paul in ephesians chapter one verse three blessed be the lord god our father who before the foundation of the world has chosen us to be holy and blameless in his sight it's blessed us with heaven spiritual blessings in heavenly places but look at verse 4 just as he chooses in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame in his sight god's higher purpose being declared ahead of time to nations and as for our lord jesus christ hanging on the cross even with the cry my god my god why have you forsaken me god was there god was present it is to bring to completion what it takes to turn sinners into saints with the victory of christ on the cross victory over death victory over sin so that's an important process going on which god has chosen to invite us to participate in sometimes through difficult circumstances well you might say this is all good from scripture but you really don't know what i'm going through i don't but god does so far we've seen that there will often be times like this in life that there is a difference between what we go through the feelings we have and the perspective of god and thirdly there is a higher purpose when such situations arise finally how do we respond friends as i've said earlier on we must not deny the reality christians sometimes have a way of denying reality with positive confession i am well when in fact i am not faith and confidence in god does not deny reality but looks at what god can do beyond the circumstances remember paul paul admitted i had an infirmity a son in the flesh i even pleaded with god three times to take it away but he did not rather he said my grace is sufficient for you church churches sometimes have a way of suppressing people's trauma and depression so we have people who are afraid to even confess that they are going through a crisis because everybody is expected to be spiritual confessing positively and not admitting such issues we must acknowledge them but beyond that we must pause and ask what is god doing through all this remember the disciples when jesus had calmed the storm the response is who is this we thought we knew him who is this who even the storm obeys the good news is that we have enough assurance in scripture not to disappear not to give up but like job to say i know that my redeemer lives and that became real isn't it on the third day after good friday and the trauma there was resurrection sunday it may be friday in your life now we are going through lent but resurrection sunday is coming never give up let's pray heavenly father we come to you as we are in our various circumstances today life can be tough but we know you are greater than all circumstances where are we where are you when we feel forsaken may we turn the question around where are we with you where are we with you help us to be with you and to see life as you see it so may your grace that brings salvation to all men bring relief today to us in all our circumstances we ask this in your name amen thank you dr adele for allowing god to speak to us through you may we indeed find strength to always know that our redeemer leaves no matter what we go through we'll take our closing hand before that first time as our in the sanctuary are reminded of your meeting at the end of the room at the next corridor and those online also don't forget to log into the zoom room after the service we'll take our closen him be gone unbelief and thereafter the close emperor [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] is [Music] shall show [Applause] is [Music] is [Music] why should i company [Music] [Applause] [Music] is [Music] since all that i need shall work for my [Music] goodness and is [Music] shall we pray thank you father for your word thank you for your truth which is unchanging our circumstances may change but you remain the same yesterday today and forever give us grace to remember this and to live by this not only when things are smooth but even when life becomes challenging or difficult we entrust one another to your grace today in jesus name the benediction go into the world in peace on this independence day be of good courage render no one evil for evil support the weak help the suffering honor all people created in the image of god rejoice always in the power of the holy spirit now the grace of our lord jesus christ the love of god almighty and the fellowship of the holy spirit rest and abide with us both now and forevermore amen go in peace [Music] [Music] so [Music] so [Music] foreign [Music] oh is [Music] is [Music] [Music] is [Music] oh [Music] [Music] is [Music] [Music] is [Music] lord your sovereignty [Music] oh [Music] [Music] is today [Music] [Applause] [Music] oh [Music] [Music] foreign [Applause] [Music] [Applause] is [Music] [Music] is [Music] is [Music] is [Music] [Applause] [Applause] so [Music] [Applause] [Applause] [Applause] do [Applause] [Music] so [Music] do [Music] [Music] hello hello parents please our meeting is about to start are we all coming to the church you

Channel: Legon Interdenominational Church

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Length: 157min 40sec (9460 seconds)

Published: Sun Mar 06 2022