The California Collection/TheCaliforniaCollection.cdr/his091/psalm73.lzh/PSALM73.TXT

Text File | 1991-07-10 | 9KB | 278 lines

INS:Searching for Utopia  by Mark S. Camp

or TRYING TO RECONCILE WHAT WE SEE WITH WHAT WE BELIEVE

Psalm 73

Introduction: People in all walks of life are searching for
Utopia. Webster's Dictionary defines Utopia as an imaginary
and indefinitely remote place. It is a place of ideal
perfection, especially in laws, government, and social
conditions.

As the dictionary says, Utopia is an imaginary place, it does
not exist. Sadly, many, many Christians are seeking for
Utopia. Listen to the prosperity preachers of today: "God
wants you healthy, happy, wealthy, and successful."

It is somewhat beyond comprehension that one who stands before
Almighty God with full atonement for sins, with all the rights
of full sonship, and with all the privileges of joint-heirship
with Christ, should want something more. Yet, too often we are
caught up in the things of the flesh and of the world, desiring
to have what we do not have, desiring to be someone that we are
not, or desiring to be where we are not.

Fortunately, God has addressed this subject in his inerrant and
infallible Word. The psalmist, Asaph, found himself looking
for Utopia. He knew the goodness and sovereignty of God, yet
he was perplexed by what seemed to be contradictions in the
order of his universe. We see Asaph's struggle here in the
73rd Psalm.

I would like for us to examine the breakdown of the Psalm and
to examine its implications for our lives as the elect of God.
I do not propose to set before you some heretofore undiscovered
truth, or to present a scholarly exposition of the Hebrew text.
I simply desire to show the timelessness of God's Word and its
practicality in our lives. We have in this Psalm a message of
reality, a message of comfort, and a message of exhortation.

verse 1 A GENERAL TRUTH SET FORTH

a. God cannot act unjustly or unkindly to his elect.

b. This is a statement of settled conviction, not just one
of conjecture.

c. The renewed heart will not be left to its enemies, nor
will it be left in the pit of despair.

verse 2 THE BELIEVER'S STRUGGLE AND PROBLEM AS HE BEGINS

WONDERING ABOUT THE WHY'S AND WHEREFORE'S OF HIS SITUATION

a. Reason and logic can take over and throw a blanket over
faith.

b. We must confess that many times we look at circumstances
and are almost caused to slip and lose our grip upon our
heavenly position.

c. Doubt can make us ready to "throw in the towel."

Spurgeon: "Errors of heart and head soon affect the conduct."

verses 3-11 THE APPARENT "GO-AS-THEY-LIKE" WAY OF THE

UNGODLY AS SEEN FROM THE DISCOURAGED BELIEVER'S PERSPECTIVE

a. Depression can make us jealous and envious of the very
things we would normally hate.

b. We can become envious when we forget the future and only
dwell on the present (ex. of David & Bathsheba).

c. It seems as though the righteous saints of God have

unnecessary burdens and troubles while the ungodly speak
evil against God, blaspheme his name, and at the present
time seem to suffer no apparent judgement. In fact, they
seem to prosper.

d. We who believe solidly in the doctrines of predestinating
and distinguishing grace usually find ourselves in a small
theological corner and wonder why the preaching of the

whole counsel God is not met with more success. We wonder
if it is really worth it.

verse 12 GENERAL SUMMARY OF VV. 3-11

a. The stumbling block to our faith is that ungodly men

and women are prospering and increasing in health and

happiness, while we seem to be just getting by.

b. It is at this point that the search for Utopia goes

ahead full steam:

1. Marriages split because one partner wasn't satisfied
and thought a newer partner would usher in Utopia.

2. We up and quit our job and strike out for a more

financially secure position at the Utopia Corporation.
3. Children run away and think that Utopia awaits just

around the corner of drugs and illicit sexual activity.
4. Church members up and leave, looking for the First

Baptist Church of Utopia where the preacher says

everything they agree with.

5. We begin to say over and over to ourselves, "If

only..., If only...".

verses 13-15 THE BELIEVER PLEADS HIS CASE CONCERNING HIS

OWN LABORS AND PURSUIT OF HOLINESS

a. The value of personal holiness is questioned.

b. It seems as though no great advantage has come to us as a
result of being a good and faithful Christian.

c. It often seems that the man was right who said, "crowns
for reprobates and crosses for the elect."

d. At such a time it is easy to complain and murmur against
God or to speak words of doubt to others.

e. Sometimes this may be necessary to relieve our depression.
Confession is good for the soul.

f. In verse 15 there is a bit of wisdom. Sometimes it is

wise to keep our doubts and perplexities to ourselves lest
we, by our words, sow seeds of doubt into someone else.

verses 16-17 THE BELIEVER ENCOUNTERS GOD AND COMES TO HIS

SENSES

a. To meditate continually upon the vast mysteries of God's
providence can become oppressive to the mind and spirit.
b. We find that the more we search for Utopia, the more we
are depressed and despondent.

c. We must at some point stop our search and enter into the
realm of the holy, the throne of grace.

d. There, we must allow our hearts to gaze within the veil
and stand where God is seated in holy and awesome

majestic greatness.

e. It is only when we come unto the presence of God that we
are then able to sort out the disorder and chaos and find
that there is indeed a fine-tuned harmony in God's wise
decrees.

verses 18-20 THE ACTUAL STATE OF THE UNGODLY AS SEEN

FROM GOD'S PERSPECTIVE

a. With the spectacles of heavenly wisdom we see that the

ungodly and the reprobate have not found Utopia either.
b. In fact, instead of being at the entrance to Utopia, they
are on the slippery precipice of a deep pit.

c. All of the man-made monuments and self-attainments are

only passing vapors, here today and gone tomorrow.

d. The grass is not one bit greener on the other side of the
fence.

e. We realize that God is patient and forbearing. In his

temporal or common grace he does indeed allow some of the
wicked to do better than his own people. But it is only
temporary.

verses 21-22 THE BELIEVER'S CONFESSION OF SIN AND

SHORT-SIGHTEDNESS

a. We must confess the sin of having set ourselves up as a
judge of God.

b. We have acted like complete fools in seeking something

which does not exist.

c. We confess the sin of having evaluated the goodness of God
and the quality of life only on the basis of sensual

pleasures, bank accounts, material things, and fleshly

enjoyments.

verses 23-24 THE BELIEVER ACKNOWLEDGES GOD'S CARE IN

THE PRESENT

a. It is of great comfort to know that when sin distresses
us, God is still there to hold communion with us.

b. Fleshly reasoning and logic place us on the level of brute
beasts; the longing for spiritual things places us on the
level of the divine.

c. One day, in spite of what we see now, we shall be in glory
with God. Our spirit cries out, "O, to be like Enoch who
walked with God and one day was no more."

verses 25-26 THE ONLY LASTING SATISFACTION

a. The God of heaven must be our all in all.

b. Instead of searching for Utopia, our heart must long after
God as a thirsty deer pants for water.

"Thou O Christ, art all I want; More than all in Thee I find.
Other refuge have I none, hangs my helpless soul on Thee."

c. The Apostle Paul sought for Utopia as a Pharisee, but upon
meeting the Savior he was later able to say, "Whatever

things were gain to me, those things I have counted loss
for the sake of Christ...that I may know him and the power
of his resurrection."

d. Only one thing can satisfy the soul of the believer - MORE
OF CHRIST!

verses 27-28 SUMMARY AND RESOLVE

a. Spurgeon said, "After having been driven far out to sea,
Asaph casts anchor in the old port. We shall do well to
follow his example."

CONCLUSIONS:

a. It is permissible to set goals and aims for our lives.

However, we must realize that each attainment only

provides temporary satisfaction.

b. Since our ultimate hope is in heaven, we should be doing
everything possible now, to prepare us for that time.
This means studying the Word, drawing closer in prayer to
the throne of grace, and more earnestly pursuing the

holiness without which no one shall see the Lord.

c. Let us rejoice in our position as children of the heavenly
Father. Let us be filled with a holy joy.

d. Let us see the importance of fellowshipping with one

another and work towards building strong relationships
with other Christians. We need to exhort, admonish, and
encourage each other, to speak words of grace to one

another.

May the God of free grace, graciously speak to our hearts by
his Word, strengthen our feeble knees, lift up our weary hands,
and minister the Word to us by his Holy Spirit.