Psalm 54--To the choirmaster- with stringed instruments. A Maskil of David, when the Ziphites went and told Saul, -Is not David hiding among us----O God, save me by your name,- and vindicate me by your might.-O God, hear my prayer-- give ear to the words of my mouth.-For strangers have risen against me-- ruthless men seek my life-- they do not set God before themselves. Selah-Behold, God is my helper-- the Lord is the upholder of my life.-He will return the evil to my enemies-- in your faithfulness put an end to them.-With a freewill offering I will sacrifice to you-- I will give thanks to your name, O Lord, for it is good.-For he has delivered me from every trouble,- and my eye has looked in triumph on my enemies.

Brian Lee continues his Psalm series with Psalm 53

Psalm 53----To the choirmaster- according to Mahalath. A Maskil of David.----The fool says in his heart, -There is no God.--- They are corrupt, doing abominable iniquity--- there is none who does good.--God looks down from heaven-- on the children of man--to see if there are any who understand,-- who seek after God.--They have all fallen away--- together they have become corrupt---there is none who does good,-- not even one.--Have those who work evil no knowledge,-- who eat up my people as they eat bread,-- and do not call upon God---There they are, in great terror,-- where there is no terror---For God scatters the bones of him who encamps against you--- you put them to shame, for God has rejected them.--Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion--- When God restores the fortunes of his people,-- let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad.

Brian Lee continues his series through the Psalms with Psalm 52 and the story of Doeg the Edomite.

Psalm 52----To the choirmaster. A Maskil of David, when Doeg, the Edomite, came and told Saul, -David has come to the house of Ahimelech.-----Why do you boast of evil, O mighty man--- The steadfast love of God endures all the day.--Your tongue plots destruction,-- like a sharp razor, you worker of deceit.--You love evil more than good,-- and lying more than speaking what is right. Selah--You love all words that devour,-- O deceitful tongue.--But God will break you down forever--- he will snatch and tear you from your tent--- he will uproot you from the land of the living. Selah--The righteous shall see and fear,-- and shall laugh at him, saying,---See the man who would not make-- God his refuge,--but trusted in the abundance of his riches-- and sought refuge in his own destruction----But I am like a green olive tree-- in the house of God.--I trust in the steadfast love of God-- forever and ever.--I will thank you forever,-- because you have done it.--I will wait for your name, for it is good,-- in the presence of the godly.

Brian preaches on John 14.

For Pentecost Sunday, Brian preaches through Joel 2:28-32 and Acts 2:1-21.

Joel 2-28-32---And it shall come to pass afterward,- that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh--your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,- your old men shall dream dreams,- and your young men shall see visions.-Even on the male and female servants- in those days I will pour out my Spirit.---And I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke. The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those who escape, as the Lord has said, and among the survivors shall be those whom the Lord calls.-

Heidelberg Catechism, Lord's Day 18--46 -Q. What do you mean by saying, -He ascended to heaven-- -A. That Christ, while his disciples watched, was taken up from the earth into heaven and remains there on our behalf until he comes again to judge the living and the dead.--47 -Q. But isn't Christ with us until the end of the world as he promised us- -A. Christ is true man and true God. In his human nature Christ is not now on earth- but in his divinity, majesty, grace, and Spirit he is never absent from us.--48 -Q. If his humanity is not present wherever his divinity is, -then aren't the two natures of Christ separated from each other- -A. Certainly not. Since divinity is not limited and is present everywhere, it is evident that Christ's divinity is surely beyond the bounds of the humanity that has been taken on, but at the same time his divinity is in and remains personally united to his humanity. --49 -Q. How does Christ's ascension to heaven benefit us- -A. First, he is our advocate in heaven in the presence of his Father. --Second, we have our own flesh in heaven as a sure pledge that Christ our head will also take us, his members, up to himself. --Third, he sends his Spirit to us on earth as a corresponding pledge. By the Spirit's power we seek not earthly things but the things above, where Christ is, sitting at God's right hand.

Mark 1-40-45--And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, -If you will, you can make me clean.- Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, -I will- be clean.- And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. And Jesus sternly charged him and sent him away at once, and said to him, -See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a proof to them.- But he went out and began to talk freely about it, and to spread the news, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter a town, but was out in desolate places, and people were coming to him from every quarter.