The Moody Church Sunday Morning Podcast

In this sermon, we explore one of the Psalms of King David that was written while he was fleeing from Saul. David faced intense fears when he penned this song; and yet, the prose explodes with praise and adoration for God. When you face difficulties or fear, do you put your praise on pause? Five lessons from Psalm 34:When faith fails, don’t put your praise on pause. For David, praise is an intentional act in all circumstances. Praise is continual, intentional, and it is anchored in genuine humility.

When faith fails, fear festers. But, it is when we face the hardships that the attributes of God become transforming from theoretical to personal.

When faith fails, we are prone to speaking disgraceful things. So ask yourself, “Am I speaking words of affirmation and grace into the lives of those around me.?” If it doesn’t edify others and honor God, don’t say it.

When faith fails, the impacts of sin ripples beyond the individual. So, when a brother or sister in Christ is in sin, we must do all that we can to restore them to fellowship with God and the body of Christ.

When faith fails, seek peace with Christ. Stop running and cry out to Jesus. Psalm 34

The purpose of Psalm 84 is to open the eyes of God’s people to the incredible privilege of having access to the place where God dwells, and to remind us that wickedness offers no reward that can compare to the joy of being in relationship with God.

 

As we explore this passage, we realize that: contrasting, trusting, and submitting can change your perspective and change your life.

A Passion for God and His Temple: For the psalmist nothing is more lovely than the dwelling place of God. The temple represents God’s presence, but the psalmist longs for the very presence of God Himself.

The Presence of God on the Way: Our strength is found in walking with God, and in remembering we are only pilgrims in this life passing through.

A Proclamation of Trust in God: The Psalmist sings about the comparative goodness of God in relation to the all else the world offers. As Spurgeon wrote, God’s worst is better than the devil’s best. So, we can be confident in our trust and submission to the Lord of Hosts.

 

The Psalmist begins with a desire to fellowship with God end ends with encouraging all to trust in Him. Similarly, we who have been blessed with salvation through Jesus should be the most earnest to share the good news with others.

 

Psalm 84

Who can dwell with God? God has very high standards for who can live with Him. And that is what we are going to consider from Psalm 15. In this short psalm, author King David asks the Lord: “What kind of person may live with you and be in Your holy presence?” David describes the person who can dwell with the Lord in six couplets or pairs of statements in this Psalm. The One Whose Character is Blameless: The Hebrew word for “blameless” means “whole” or “sound.” It does not mean sinless. Instead, it refers to a person whose character is upright in all areas and who is fully committed to obeying the Lord. Not someone who seems honorable in public but when alone is a very different person. Simply put, they do what is right. When they are faced with a choice between doing what pleases the Lord and doing what pleases themselves, the kind of person they are, the desires they have cultivated, the thoughts they allow themselves to entertain… compel this person to choose to do what is right—to do what pleases the Lord—even when it is costly or painful.

The One Who Speaks the Truth: The person who can live with the Lord speaks truth on the one hand and does not slander anyone on the other. Their speech is always truthful yet never slanderous. Again, the idea goes deeper than simple behavior and speaks of the character of the person. A person who speaks the truth is a trustworthy person. We might say they are a “straight-shooter” – you can trust what they say. All of us know people we don’t trust. We may love them, but we don’t trust them. But when the person who pleases the Lord speaks, they are completely trusted because they speak “the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.” The second part of the couplet says that they do not slander people. Slanderous statements are often wrong and ignorant, but they may be true statements which are intended to harm or damage someone by sharing them with others inappropriately. When you slander someone, when you gossip about them, it says far more about you than it does them. It reveals what is in your heart: an arrogant, judgmental, and unloving spirit. There is a strong pull to justify slander because the person we are speaking about has hurt us or is so cocky it makes us sick or is a hypocrite who we want to expose. But the kind of person who pleases the Lord and can dwell with Him does not slander anyone.

The One Who Loves Others: At first glance, this requirement of this verse doesn’t seem very demanding. But keep in mind that the Lord defines “neighbor” as broader than those you live near and perhaps rarely even see much less know. The kind of man or woman who meets the qualifications to live in God’s presence treats everyone—whether known to them personally or not—as those who have been made in the image of God and thus worthy of respect. They do not see others superficially, judging them by their appearance or status but instead by who God has made them to be. Therefore, they have a godly love for them that shows up in how they treat them. They seek to protect rather than destroy their reputations. They look for ways to help them improve their lives and character rather than tearing them down. They refuse to harm them in any way: physically, emotionally, or spiritually. In short, they do them no evil.

The One Who Shares God’s Values: The requirement here is a choosing of allegiances. Are you on God’s side or on the side of His enemies? The second part of the couplet in verse 4 is that they “honor those who fear the Lord.” Perhaps the question to ask is, “Do you see people as they are or do you judge primarily by appearances?” If our allegiance is wholeheartedly with the Lord, then we will honor those who fear Him.

The One Who Lives with Integrity: The person described here has a deep sense of integrity whose commitment to holiness is greater than his commitment to temporal self-interest. How you respond reveals the kind of person you are. It reveals what is most important to you. The kind of person who can live with God honors the Lord by honoring the vows that he or she makes.

The One Who Does Not Love Money: The prohibition here is against putting money ahead of people. It’s a temptation that leads to all kinds of sins including and usury, bribery, theft, and even stinginess. How does the man who desires to live with God handle his financial relationships with others? With justice and compassion - the way God wants him or her to. Takeaways:The truth of Psalm 15 is that it is possible to dwell with the Lord. He could have shut out sinner likes us but He didn’t. Instead, God delights in it and makes it possible.

Being in the presence of the Lord is the greatest thing that you and I can ever imagine or experience. Psalm 15

How do you pick up the pieces when you've blown it so very badly? Peter was devastated by his thrice denial of Jesus. Even after Jesus was raised from the dead, and Peter had met him twice in the flesh, Peter was still thinking, “What must He think of me!?” For those of us who know what it is to fail the ones we love, we can understand how desperately Peter wanted to open up to Jesus; and yet he couldn’t just bring it up. Jesus, in His mercy and kindness, brings it up for Peter. For those of us who have failed and let down those we love, this passage from John 21 is for us. We’ll discover three things: The Danger of Relapse: Jesus never gives up on failures like us. Peter may have given up on himself, but Jesus never gave up on Peter. There is always more mercy in Christ than sin in us.

The Grace of Repentance: Repentance is the tough grace that sets us free. It’s a tough grace that presses our hearts to repentance. We instinctively resist opening at every turn, but repentance is the only way to be free, it’s the only way to heal. Peter had denied Jesus three times, and so three times Jesus asks penetrating questions. Jesus presses deeper, exposing the deadliness of Peter’s self-confidence, and helping him confess out loud how very inadequate he really was. As Peter admits to the inadequacy of his own love for Christ, he is set free from a life of egotistical self-reliance. Peter, who used to think he had to prove himself to be somebody, discovers that the only thing that really matters in the end, is to be loved by Jesus.

The Beauty of Redemption: Brokenness is a prerequisite for usefulness. When Peter felt strongest, he was least useful. But when Peter felt weakest, he was greatly useful. Our greatest ministry is often rooted in our deepest wounds. God takes our misery and turns it into our ministry…because He is the Great Redeemer. Jesus takes each one of us as we are—underserving, inadequate, broken, and sinful—and in His mercy He redeems us, transforms us, and empowers us to be useful for His eternal glory and our everlasting joy. In the grace of God, we need not hid from our brokenness, for it is a prerequisite for our usefulness to God. Takeaway: In the love of Jesus there is abundant hope for our stories. No matter what you’ve done, no matter what you’ve become, no matter what’s been done to you, Jesus never gives up on failures like us. There is more mercy in Christ than sin in us. John 21:1-25

Breakthrough is the moment when everything changes. The old categories are shattered, and a whole new paradigm is born. And the greatest breakthrough in all of history is when Jesus rose from the dead. It shatters the old categories and gives birth to a whole new paradigm. In this passage form John 20:19-31, we explore a 4-dimensional breakthrough from Jesus’ resurrection.Breakthrough Resurrection: Jesus’ resurrected body broke through all the disciples’ categories. Neither Greco-Roman nor Jewish thought had categories for the kind of resurrection we see here in Jesus. This is important for two reasons. First, it explains their incredulity—the disciples were totally unprepared for this, and it took them a while to adjust. Second, it explains why they couldn’t have made up this story, because they didn’t have a frame of reference for this type of event. Will you allow Jesus to break your categories? We all have our categories for how a god ought to be, and we’ll believe when he fits our preconceived ideas. Of course, then we usually end up with a god who looks strikingly like ourselves and affirms the life we are already living. But Jesus breaks through our reductionistic categories. In fact, breaking our categories is the only what you know we’re encountering the real, living God, and not just some figment of our imaginations.

Breakthrough Blessings: Because the resurrected Jesus is alive forevermore, His blessings in this passage are breakthrough blessings greater and more powerful than any He had previously given. There are four blessings: peace, sending, spirit, and authority. The point of all these breakthrough blessings is that Jesus’ mission will go on through his disciples by the Holy Spirit. This mission continues today in all those who believe. We are Jesus’ ambassadors, emissaries, and representatives. Will you join Jesus on mission in the world?

Breakthrough Confession: Thomas did not at first believe in the resurrection. In fact, his initial reticence earned him the name Doubting Thomas. But when Jesus shows up in the flesh, Doubting Thomas becomes Believing Thomas when he confesses “My Lord and my God!” This confession is like a theological earthquake; it’s the highest Christological confession in the Gospel of John. And it wasn’t just an academic confession, it was deeply personal. Jesus is risen as the Divine Lord of all. Doubting is not the opposite of faith, because doubting may actually be where faith begins. Will you invite Jesus into your doubts? Have you ever prayed your doubts and asked God to help?

Breakthrough Opportunity: Jesus blesses those who will come to believe, but who unlike Thomas, will not have the benefit of seeing the resurrected Jesus first-hand. Jesus offers life in Himself to all who will believe. Will you dare to believe in Jesus? John 20:19-31

Cognitive dissonance is the influx of intellectual disequilibrium. In other words, when your tidy framework of reality is suddenly unsettled by unexpected facts, your “mind is blown.” And suddenly, you see the world very differently. Resurrection morning created massive cognitive dissonance for the followers of Jesus. They never saw it coming! Not only did they not see it coming, but at first, they couldn’t believe their eyes. Curiosity is key when cognitive dissonance occurs. John highlights three curious moments from resurrection morning; he wants us to meditate on them so that we might understand the significance of our resurrected Jesus. The Conscientious Guest: Jesus thoughtfully tidied up after Himself on resurrection morning. Remember, this is a borrowed tomb. When it was time for Jesus to be resurrected, he tidies up the place as He leaves. How thoughtful is that!? John realizes that Jesus is conscientious.

The Mistaken Gardener: Mary is the first one to visit the tomb on Easter Sunday. What we often forget is that Mary had a life of trauma, of severe demonic possession. Jesus was her lifeline to freedom, healing, and safety. So, when He died, her world was shattered. When she arrives at the empty tomb, her trauma is triggered all over again, because the body of Jesus is gone. And as her panic and anxiety take hold, Jesus comes to meet her, but she doesn’t recognize Him at first. Jesus called her name, and everything changed. When Jesus called her by name, the fear began to ebb, the anxiety calmed, the sadness was undone. And the man she thought was the gardener turned out to be her rescuer, healer, teacher, and Lord all along.

The Ascending Lord: When Mary realizes that Jesus is alive in the flesh, she is overjoyed and wants to grab hold of Him forever. But Jesus tells her not to cling to Him. Why? Because Jesus is in the middle of cosmic redemption. The resurrection isn’t the end, but the beginning of a new creation. There’s still work to be done! Jesus must ascend to the Father where He will rule until His enemies have been made His footstool. When He shall return again, in that day justice will reign, peace will abide, and glory will cover the earth. It will be a New Heaven and a New Earth, and in the Garden City of God, heaven will come down to earth. So, when Mary mistook Jesus as the gardener, she wasn’t entirely wrong. Jesus is the Gardener, the caretaker of the New Creation. Just as Adam was the Gardener and Caretaker of the old creation, now Jesus is the Gardener and Caretaker of the New Creation. Takeaways:Jesus is making all things new. The resurrection isn’t just a nice thing that happened a long time ago; its’ the pattern and promise of what will one day happen to all things. Jesus is in the business of bring redemption to the cosmos, of making all things new.

Jesus is tidying up the universe. Everything that is sin-cursed will one day be tidied up in redemption and put in its proper place forever. And Jesus wants to begin that redemptive work in your life today.

Jesus is calling your name. When Jesus calls your name, everything changes. Is this resurrection life yours? John 20:1-18

Everyone enjoys a good plot twist. Whether in a novel or a film, that moment when everything you thought you knew is suddenly undone, and realization dawns mingled with disbelief. Those are the best endings. In many ways, the death and resurrection of Jesus is the greatest twist ending of them all. Talk about a plot twist! Nobody saw that coming. And no doubt after the resurrection the disciples thought: “No way! Are you kidding me? How did we miss the clues?!?" In his Gospel, John is careful to point out the clues and the signs that were there all along. With the benefit of hindsight, John helps us see the things he missed the first time around, the hints of the twist ending that was to come. The Piercing Distinction: The standard protocol for Roman crucifixion turns out very differently in Jesus' crucifixion. All of this happens to fulfill the prophecies of Scripture. John wanted us to the see the clues—through these seemingly random breaks in protocol, the Father distinguished the uniqueness of His Son. All these deviations singled out Jesus as different: the One not like any others, the One fulfilling Scripture, the One who was special. It’s as if the Father was saying, “You might want to keep your eye on this One, because He’s just getting started.” The Perplexing Loyalties: As Jesus was lifted up, He drew all people to Himself, including Joseph and Nicodemus, whose faith now comes to light. Joseph and Nicodemus saw something in Jesus' death as He was lifted up, looking on the One who was pierced. They mourned and they believed, and they received the grace and mercy of God right then and there. Think about it—they must have believed at some level that the story wasn’t over. Why else would they throw everything away in loyalty to Jesus? If Jesus was dead and gone forever, there would be no point in honoring Him, no point in throwing their lot in with Him ... unless they believed that Jesus really is the Christ, and that this story wasn’t over. It may be that these two individuals, of all people, began to wonder if God might just have a trick up His sleeve. The Paradoxical Tomb: The first Adam laid as dust in the first garden, awaiting the breath of God in creation. Now the second Adam was laid in the dust of another garden, and when God breathed resurrection life into His body, it meant not resuscitation of the old but re-creation of the new. In other words, a new humanity, a new order of things, and a new creation! Isn’t it interesting that in the beginning there’s a garden; at the end of time, in the new heavens and new earth, there's a garden in the city of God; and in the middle of the story there’s also a garden, the one in which Jesus was buried. Don’t you see? Jesus’ death and resurrection is the hinge-point of history! As He died, He brought the old creation to an end, and as He rose, He ushered in a new creation. To use the logic of the Apostle Paul: Because Christ died, we died; because Christ lives, we live. Takeaway: The Christian life is one of dying and rising with Christ. This is WHO we are, WHERE we’re headed, and HOW we live. Following Jesus means embracing the rhythm of dying and rising with Christ. In the end, life has a plot twist. It's the moment when everything we thought we knew is suddenly undone, and for the first time we begin to see the world as it really is. Isn’t this what Jesus calls us to? John 19:31-42

In this passage from our study in the Gospel of John, we come to the crucifixion of Jesus. We may want to look the other way, to not face the harsh reality of an innocent man nailed to a cross, to not bear the weight of the torture and agony and injustice of this moment, because it may it’s just too personal. We were made to love and serve God, but we hijacked our life, and stiff-armed God, and insisted on living according to our own rules. If anyone deserves to be punished… it’s not Jesus. If anyone deserves to be condemned… it’s not Him. If anyone deserves to die… it’s us. This is our story: Jesus died for us. In this sermon, we’ll look at three portraits of Jesus: The Crucified King: On the cross, the King is lifted up for all to see. John wants us to discern the hidden hand of God, moving in spite of all this chaos and injustice and evil, fulfilling his purposes in it all. As Jesus takes his place with guilty sinners, he is numbered with the transgressors. As Jesus is lifted up as King for all to see, so that all people might be drawn to Him.

The Fleeced Protector: In His loss, Jesus protects the ones He loves. I’m amazed at Jesus’ empathy and compassion in the midst of the height of his excruciating pain. Pain tends to turn us inward. But look at Jesus! He’s being mocked and tortured and rejected and violated and tormented. And in empathy and compassion, He is thinking of those He loves. Jesus always looks past his own pain in the protection of the ones He loves.

The Parched Savior: By His thirst, Jesus quenches ours. Jesus became thirsty on the cross to give us living water so that we might never thirst again! Through Jesus’ sacrifice, He is able to proclaim, “it is finished.” What is He saying? Everything He had come to do, He completed it all; finally, fully, and forever. Takeaway: Jesus died for you. Has that reality come home for you? “Jesus died,” that’s just a historical fact. But if you say, “Jesus died… for you,” That’s when it gets personal. It’s all in the pronouns. Has Jesus become your Crucified King? Is He your Fleeced Protector? Is He your Parched Savior? Has that reality come home in you? Do you rest in His finished work? Do you really believe “it is finished?” That nothing you do adds or subtracts from the final, full, and finished work of Christ? Nothing in your past, present, or future can alter who you are in Christ, because you are forever loved by Jesus. And “it is finished!” John 19:16-30

Jesus gets it. He gets how hard life is. He gets how heartbreaking it can be. He gets how violating and brutal and unjust people are sometimes. We all need a God who gets it, because when life’s cruelties break into your life, you don’t need a god who’s aloof and pampered and insulated. You need a God who gets it, who understands how it feels, who can sympathize with you, and who will weep with you. And friends, Jesus has been there. He gets it. In this passage, John is going to walk us through Jesus’ Roman trial. Now, as we make our way through this passage, notice two things in particular: First, John’s depiction of the cruel suffering and injustice Jesus faced. Some of us can relate to that. Second, John’s use of irony throughout this account. Things are not as they seem. As we walk through the passage, this sermon explores six striking ironies: Disingenuous Fulfillment: Through the religious leaders’ hypocrisy, God’s will is achieved. They unwittingly advance the will of God, that Jesus would be lifted up and draw all people to Himself, just as He said He would.

Discounted King: Pilate missed the ultimate reality standing before him. The true king, the highest truth, the ultimate reason for the universe was standing right in front of him, and he missed seeing Jesus. Instead, Pilate throws up his hands and walks out.

Demanded Substitute: This exchange depicts precisely what Jesus offers—substitutionary payment for our sins in our place. This irony is, what they demanded, Jesus voluntarily offers.

Defamed Innocent: By stripping Jesus’ honor they ensured His glory. They intended to shame Him into oblivion, but all they ended up doing was move Jesus closer to His glory.

Disregarded Lord: The religious leaders stand in judgement of the true Judge of all the earth.

Destined Lamb: In a redemptive twist, Jesus is the true Passover Lamb. Passover commemorated how God redeemed Israel from slavery in Egypt through the blood of a lamb. And now all these years later, a true and greater Passover is taking place. God redeems not only Israel but also the entire world from slavery to sin by the blood of a true and greater Lamb. And here’s the irony: all of their murderous plotting against Jesus played into the greatest redemption the world has ever seen. Takeaways:What they intended for evil, God intended for good.

Nothing irredeemable can happen to us. If God can take religious hypocrisy, trumped up charges, abusive power, political intrigue, and vindictive mobs, and work a redemptive twist through all of it to bring salvation to the world…imagine what he’s up to right now in our lives! John 18:28-19:16

In today’s passage, we will see John’s account of the betrayal, arrest, and preliminary interrogation of Jesus. We’ll explore three lenses: The Sequence of the Storm: This is the quick overview of the narrative leading up to the crucifixion.Betrayal and Arrest (Mt 26:47-56; Mk 14:43-52; Lk 22:47-53; Jn 18:2-12): All 4 gospels report on this event.

Interrogation of Annas (Jn 18:19-23): John alone preserves this interrogation for us.

Sanhedrin Trial (Mt 26:57-68; Mk 14:53-65; Lk 22:54-71): The Sanhedrin was the ruling body in charge of Jewish internal affairs.

Pilate’s Questioning (Mt 27:11-14; Mk 15:2-5; Lk 23:2-5; Jn 18:28-38a): Pilate doesn’t want to condemn an innocent man, but if he lets Jesus go free, he’ll upset the Jewish leaders and possibly disturb the peace during a major holiday.

Interrogation by Herod (Lk 23:6-12): Only Luke reports this interrogation by Herod Antipas, the son of Herod the Great. Pilate attempted to toss this political hot potato into Herod’s lap, but Herod tosses it right back.

Pilate’s Verdict (Mt 27:15-31; Mk 15:15-19; Lk 23:24-25; Jn 18:38b-19:16): All four gospels record Pilate’s various attempts to avoid sentencing Jesus, but how, in the end, he caves to the political pressure and authorizes Jesus’ crucifixion.The Betrayal in the Night: So that’s the sequence of events leading up to the betrayal of Jesus and the interrogation. Continuing the narrative, Jesus and his disciples leave the upper room, make their way through the city, and arrive at the garden of Gethsemane. Because Jesus frequented this spot, Judas anticipates they would head there after supper. Judas shows up with a band of soldiers looking for Jesus, and when they find Jesus, He responds “I am He.” In shocked panic the soldiers wheel around, reel back, bump into each other, trip over themselves, and fall to the ground. In Greek, it’s “ego eimi”. In most cases, it is translated “I am he.” But it can also be translated simply as “I AM.” It’s possible that the reason the soldiers stumble and fall here is because Jesus is flexing – just a little. He’s showing just a hint of his true nature. He’s revealing just an ounce of His true power. He’s giving just a glimpse of his true glory. Jesus is exercising just enough strength to show us that he’s in full command of the situation, but not so much strength as to overpower His opponents, because He voluntarily surrenders. And as Jesus gives Himself up, He ensures the disciples’ safety. The soldiers then take Jesus to Annas, the former high priest. And during that interrogation, Peter denies Jesus three times.

The Hero in the Shadows: In many ways, Peter attempted to be the hero of this story. But Peter’s confidence was misplaced. He trusted in himself, in his own strength, and in his own commitment. Peter thought salvation would come as he stood side-by-side in battle alongside Jesus. But he didn’t yet understand the Way of Jesus, that salvation would come not through conquest but through surrender; that glory would come through shame, and that life would come through death. And in doing so, Peter joined the long line of those who know what it means to have great intentions only to fall flat on our faces. Peter’s professed intensions fall terribly flat. We all have a gap. Some of us see it, others don’t, but it’s there. On this night, Peter came face-to-face with the gap. He couldn’t run, hide, or deny. And the other gospels tell us, he went out into the night and wept bitterly. Peter thought he would be the hero of this story, that he would be the one to stand up for Jesus, but then he discovered the gap. As it turns out, Peter needed a Hero to rescue him, Peter needed someone to stand up for him. Jesus is the Hero of this story. Throughout it all, he exhibits unimaginable courage, doesn’t he? Jesus’ understated courage heroically prevails. Don’t you see? Jesus offers himself up for them. He is arrested, that they might be let go. He is bound, that they might be free. He is condemned, that they might be pardoned. He is crucified, that they might live. Don’t you see? This is a picture of the Gospel. “Take me. Let them go!” Takeaways: Jesus faced the darkness alone, that we might go free. When Jesus gave himself up to protect his disciples that night, it was a beautiful picture of what the cross is all about: Jesus died in our place for our sake to bear all our sin and shame. He stood in the gap, to cover our gaps. He drank the cup of judgement to the dregs for us and rose again on the third day in order that we might go free. This is the Gospel: “Take me. Let them go!” John 18:1-27