Hinckley EFC

Fostering Thankfulness: In the Wilderness: 107:1-9

Fostering Thankfulness: In the Wilderness

Psalm 107:1-9

The Cry of the Redeemed (v. 1-3)

• Psalm 107 begins the 5^th book of the Psalter
  • The book of Psalms is divided into 5 smaller books
  • The last section focuses on praise
• The call is to praise God if you have experienced His love
  • Redeemed: Brought out of some bad circumstance
• The 4 corners of the earth allude to God’s work throughout the world
  • As well as His gathering of His people into His care

 

The Lord of the Lost (v. 4-7)

• The psalmist describes those who wandered (v. 4)
  • This can be both literal & metaphorical
    • Without direction
      • Divorce, job loss, failure, sudden change
    • The result can be both physical & spiritual hunger & thirst (v. 5)
      • Looking to fill the void
    • Sometimes we are lost:
      • Because we have gone astray
      • Because we have become unfocused
      • Because of things beyond our control
      • Because we really have been going the wrong way for too long
    • The psalmist encourages us that help comes when we call out to God (v. 6)
      • He gives direction
      • He leads us home
    • This reflects the heart of Jesus (Luke 15:4-7)
      • Jesus rescues the lost
        • And leads them to repentance
          • Turning from their own wandering to follow Him
        • Jesus will meet us where we are
          • And lead us to where we need to be
          • Because He is Lord of the lost!
        • He not only provides a way for us
          • He is the way for us! (John 14:6)
        • He calls us to follow Him closely
          • Not always giving us the destination (Ps. 119:105)
          • Like Abraham
          • Like the Israelites & the pillar of fire & smoke

 

Thankfulness in the Wilderness (v. 8-9)

• The psalmist calls us to be thankful because of what God has done
  • Delivering those who wander
• And to have a vision of God’s provision for the future
  • Leading us to good places
  • Even if where we are now doesn’t seem so good

 

So What?

• When we feel lost, do we turn to God for help?
• Do we understand that sometimes being ‘lost’ means that He is really putting us onto the right path?
  • Learning to follow Him more closely

 

Meditation Verse: Ps. 107:6

Loving Well: Food: Various Text

Loving Well: Food

Various Texts

Food as a Love Language

• In both its preparation and its enjoyment, food can act as a means of expressing love
• It provides opportunities to utilize all the other love languages in various ways

 

God as the Lover

• God uses food as a means of providing love and connection
• From the beginning, food has not only been a means of sustenance (Gen. 2:16; see also Gen. 1:29; 9:3; Rev. 22:2)
• Food also is a symbol God’s provision and common grace (Ps. 104:14; see also 111:5; 136:25; 146:7; 147:9; Isa. 55:10-11)
• Food as symbolizes fellowship and favor (Rev. 3:20; Ps. 23:5)
• In the OT, the sacrificial system was built around food
  • Sacrifices were meant to be shared between the priest and the offeror
• Passover is centered on a meal
  • With the lamb later representing Christ

 

Our Love for God

• In the NT, the Lord’s Supper is a meal of connection with Christ’ sacrifice
  • To be repeated as a means of remembrance for us
  • As we celebrate it, we are expressing our love and gratitude for Jesus’ death on our behalf

 

Loving One Another

• Gifts of food show that we value the receiver more than the time, effort, and cost that it took us to make it
• Sharing meals together provides opportunities to connect
  • Fellowship
  • Hospitality
• The early church made meals together a priority (Act 2:42, 46)

 

Loving Our Community

• Sometimes food is about provision (Jas. 2:15-16)
• Providing food for others can be a mean of loving Jesus well (Matt. 25:34-40)

 

 

The Wedding Feast (Rev. 19:6-9)

• In his vision of the end of the age, John is shown a great feast to celebrate Jesus’ final victory
  • It is a wedding supper
    • With Christ as the Groom
    • And the Church as the Bride dressed in white
      • Representing our righteous deeds
        • How well we loved God & others

 

So What?

• How well are loving?
  • Are we reflecting God’s love in its various forms to Him, one another, and our community?
  • Are we looking for ways to connect, to care, and to cultivate Christ-like love?

 

Meditation Verse: Acts 2:46

Loving Well: Physical Touch: Various Texts

Loving Well: Physical Touch

Various Texts

Acts of Service

• Doing something for your someone that you know they would like
  • “Actions speak louder than words.”

Physical Touch

• An expression of love that is felt physically by the beloved
  • Though this does not always necessitate physical contact

God as the Lover

• In the Bible, God’s presence is described as being spirit (John 4:24)
  • Thus, indicating that He does not have a physical form
  • And yet, God is speaking of touching people (1 Sam. 10:26)
• In His incarnation, Jesus often touched people as a means of expressing love
  • Healing the sick (Matt. 8:2-3)
  • Blessing the children (Mark 10:14-16)
• Feeling the Holy Spirit’s presence
  • The physical and/or emotional sensation of God touching you
    • Like a warm embrace

Our Love for God

• How do we reciprocate this kind of love to God?
• Engaging our bodies as we worship
  • Raising hands, kneeling, laying prostrate
• Engaging our emotions as we worship
  • Crying tears of joy or contrition
• This is not a call to disengage our minds (1 Cor. 14:15)
  • But rather to give God all of us (Luke 10:27a)

 

Loving One Another

• We can show each other love through physical touch in ways that are appropriate, as determined by our relationships
• With our friends: handshakes, hugs, high-fives
• With our kids: hugs, kisses, cuddles, wrestling, etc.
• Within marriage: hugs, handle-holding, back rubs, sexual intimacy
• In the Church
  • Greeting with handshakes and hugs (2 Cor. 13:12; see also Rom. 16:16; 1 Cor. 16:20; 1 Pet. 5:14)
  • Praying with the laying on of hands & anointing with oil (Jas. 5:14)

Loving Our Community

• Being the hands & feet of Jesus
  • Touching those who need God’s touch
• Sharing in people’s joy & sorrow (Rom. 12:15)

 

Boundaries of Love

• Physical touch, like all expressions of love, must be delivered in ways that are relationally appropriate
• And in ways with which the beloved is comfortable
  • Respecting their boundaries

So What?

• Have we been touched by God’s love?
• Are we touching others with His love too?
  • Being the hands and feet of Jesus

 

Meditation Verse: Romans 12:15

 

 

 

 

Loving Well: Acts of Service: Various Texts

Loving Well: Acts of Service

Various Texts

Acts of Service

• Doing something for your someone that you know they would like
  • “Actions speak louder than words.”

 

God as the Lover

• It may be difficult for us to imagine the God of the Universe as a servant
  • However, Scripture is full of examples of His love being expressed in this way
• The Deliverance of Israel from Egypt
  • Which became the defining moment of the OT for Jews
• God’s love in service is best revealed in the Incarnation
  • Jesus’ life was about serving others in love (Matt. 20:28)
  • He did this through His miracles (Luke 4:17-21)
    • Which He stated was proof of His divinity (John 10:37-38)
  • He did this through the washing of His disciples’ feet (John 13:1)
  • He did this through His death on the Cross (John 15:13)

 

Our Love for God

• We show God our love through our acts of service
• This includes using our giftedness to serve within the context of Church ministry

• Worship team
• Serving teams
• AWANA/Trek
• Recovery Ministries
• Teaching
• Missions
• Prayer
• Others

 

 

Loving One Another

• How do we show love through our service to each other?
• Taking on tasks that we know the other person does NOT enjoy doing
  • It does not have to be something you despise doing
  • But, it should be sacrificial on some level
• This kind of service can be between spouses, within families, among friends, and even in the workplace
• ) Cooking a meal, washing dishes, taking out the garbage, mowing the lawn, changing the baby’s diaper, taking someone’s shift

 

Loving Our Community

• How do we serve our community in love?
• Volunteering
• Helping out a neighbor
  • Mow their lawn, make them a meal, watch their kids, etc.

 

Love as a Choice

• Since love is a choice on the part of the lover
  • The beloved should never try to force or manipulate a certain action
  • “If you loved me, you would…”
• Likewise, if we feel criticized by those we seek to love, we may be tempted to stop trying
  • Instead we need to hear what is behind the criticism to learn to love better
  • This is NOT a license for us to be critical of each other

 

So What?

• Are we loving through our acts of service?
  • Doing for others what helps them, even if it is not something we enjoy

 

Meditation Verse: 1 Peter 4:10

Loving Well: Gifts, various text

Loving Well: Gifts

Various Texts

Gifts as Love

• Gifts can be a visual representation of love
  • Don’t mistake this love language for materialism
• The receiver of gifts thrives on the thoughtfulness, and effort behind the gift
  • “It’s the thought that counts.”
• The perfect gift or gesture shows that you are known, you are cared for, and you are prized above whatever was sacrificed to bring the gift

 

God as the Lover

• Scripture is filled with examples of God as a giver (Jas 1:17)
• Grace is one of God’s defining attributes (Ps. 116:5; 145:8)
  • Grace: A free, unmerited gift
• God gives physical life (Gen. 2:7)
  • And through Jesus, eternal life (John 6:27)
• God gives us His Son (John 3:16; Mark 10:45)
  • And with Him, everything else (Rom. 8:32)
• God gives us His Spirit (Luke 11:13; John 3:34)
  • So that He do His work in and through us (Acts 1:8)

 

Our Gifts of Love to God

• Giving of our money, which shows where our priorities lie (Matt. 6:21)
• Using the gifts that He has given us to glorify Him
  • Both ‘natural’ talents & spiritual gifts (1 Cor. 12:4-6)
• Every gift is given to be shared! (1Co 12:7)

 

Loving One Another

• A thoughtful gift can transform someone’s day
  • It shows that they are known by you
• It is not about the monetary cost
  • It is about showing the value you place in someone by the sacrificial act
• Gifts are also about making sure that the physical needs of others are met (Jas. 2:15-16)

 

Loving Our Community

• Helping meet the basic needs of our neighbors
• Being known for our generosity

 

So What?

• Are we expressing love through giving?
  • Realigning our priorities
  • Seeing needs and meeting them
  • Showing our thoughtfulness to others
  • Giving away what we have received

 

Meditation Verse: James 1:17