Make Me to Hear Joy
Minister: | Rev. Ronald Van Overloop |
Date: | 5/13/2018 AM |
Text: | Psalm 51:8 |
Psalters: | 166, 269, 27, 143 |
Sacrament of the Lord's Supper |
- The loss of joy.
- One of the serious consequences of sin is a loss of joy and the experience of misery.
- It is most serious to be without joy, without God’s shining face on us.
- To be joyless is a grievous burden, and is often the reason for self-injury, self-hurt, and even suicide.
- David describes his miserable condition (loss of joy) as his bones being crushed - not just broken (Ps. 32:3).
- All sin affects our body’s vigor by taking away our joy and giving us misery.
- When we are robbed of spiritual joy, then our physical life suffers and is adversely affected.
- Prov. 17:22 describes a broken spirit dries up the bones and a merry heart doeth good like medicine.
- David goes to God with this request for joy.
- God lets His children experience some of the fruit of their sin so that they will fly back to Him. His hand is heavy on him.
- Joylessness is God’s judgment on the sinner.
- This joylessness and misery is guilt!!
- It is God’s will that the believer not remain in misery.
- David is seeking the joy of salvation from sin’s guilt.
- It was God who crushed him, so the return of joy is and must come from God.
- This joy, which animates one’s soul, is forgiveness and deliverance from the guilt of sin.
- God lets His children experience some of the fruit of their sin so that they will fly back to Him. His hand is heavy on him.
- Joy is obtained by our “hear”ing. We “hear” joy.
- Joy is not found in wine, drugs, riches, fame, success.
- It is obtained in hearing of divine pardon and the assurance of God’s love and favor.
- The Lord’s Supper is one of God’s words, confirming the removal of all of our sins in the crucified Jesus.