We're back to the Psalms, as you know, between books,
we did three Psalms at a time,
and we're up to Psalm 43.
So if you look at Psalm 43 in verse number one,
it says, judge me, O God,
and plead my cause against an ungodly nation.
The title for the sermon tonight is
living in an ungodly nation,
living in an ungodly nation.
The Psalmist, you know,
the Psalmist obviously is living in Israel.
It's living in the nation that God
saw fit to bring out of Egypt.
You know, the Psalmist looks at his own nation
and says, my nation is ungodly.
How do you feel about Australia?
Do you think we're a godly nation, brethren?
Do you think we're a Christian nation?
Isn't that the title people love to give
a nation like Australia or Western countries?
It's a Christian nation.
I don't believe we're a Christian nation.
I don't know if we've ever really truly
been a Christian nation.
I find that hard to say,
but we're truly an ungodly nation.
So I believe what we can take out of this Psalm
are just some principles, some basic things
that we're already familiar with,
things that we can put into practice
to help us live in this ungodly nation of Australia.
And brethren, this is the reality.
I know there are some people that have a heart
to turn this nation back to God.
I mean, I want to see that.
I do want to see our nation back to God.
You know, I do want to see the sunshine coast back to God.
I do want to see a fear of God here in Sydney.
But the reality is, you know,
we may very well just be continually living
in an ungodly nation that waxes worse and worse,
that just gets further from the truth of God's word.
And we just need to be able to live in this situation.
You know, we can stress out and say,
well, God, you know, this nation is so ungodly.
Can you just come and destroy this place?
Oh God, please come back soon
because I can't bear to live in an ungodly world.
Reverend, we are going to live in an ungodly world.
We're going to live amongst wicked people,
amongst wicked neighbors and a community
and people that hate the Lord and hate the word.
And we need to learn how to live in an ungodly nation.
Okay, and so I believe this Psalm can give us
some good pointers here.
Let's start there in verse number one again.
Judge me, oh God, and plead my cause
against an ungodly nation.
Oh, deliver me from the deceitful and unjust men.
And let's, again, think about this idea
of the ungodly nation.
If you say to me, well, Pastor,
I think we do live in a Christian nation.
I do believe we live in a godly nation.
I mean, you know, we're not a nation that,
we're not a Islamic nation, aren't we, Pastor Kevin?
But we're not a nation of Buddhists then.
And you know, when people think about Australia,
we don't think about Hinduism.
And generally speaking, when people think of Australia,
they think of a Christian nation.
Well, let's think about our nation right now.
Let's think about Australia.
You know, right now, there is no death penalty in Australia
for legitimate crimes.
You know, for legitimate first degree murder,
you cannot put that individual to death, okay?
And other crimes that God has put a death penalty toward,
such as rape, such as adultery, such as homosexuality,
there is no death penalty for these crimes, okay?
And we know what God's law says.
I mean, that big chunk of our Bible
makes up the law of God.
And we know that God's laws are in favor for death penalty
when it comes to certain crimes.
Look, our nation does not carry out death penalty
for the wicked.
But you know, there is death penalty
in Australia, isn't there?
The death of, you know, hundreds of babies
every day in the mother's womb,
there is a death penalty that's taking place
every single day in Australia, paid by Medicare,
you know, basically free of charge for any mother
that wants to put their innocent baby to death in the womb,
they can do that right now, okay?
Little babies being put to death,
and you wanna tell me this is a godly nation?
This is definitely abortion,
proves to us that we live in a nation
that wants to commit mass murder of innocent children.
This is not a godly nation.
You know, I mentioned the homosexuals.
They want it to be accepted.
You know, it's beyond acceptance.
It's a celebration of homosexuality, isn't it?
A celebration of what, you know, LGBT,
a celebration of the destruction of the family unit,
of husbands and wives and children,
the family unit that God has created.
You know, our nation is celebrating wicked perversion,
and we wanna think this is a godly,
no, this is an ungodly nation that we live in.
You know, there is legislation being put forward
in various states.
New South Wales is already happening in Queensland,
you know, for assisted suicide.
You know, people that want to die,
you know, to just assist people to die.
You know, God has given us life.
God has given us human beings and a life to live in,
and he's given us purpose.
We are to live for him.
And here we have our governments,
our state governments forcing, you know,
assisted suicide, trying to put more and more people
to death.
How can we say we live in a godly nation?
Truly, it's an ungodly nation.
We have segregation.
If you decide to be vaccinated or unvaccinated,
there is segregation.
You know, our governments are trying to segregate people
based on a personal decision,
whether you want to try an unproven, untested vaccine,
you know, that hasn't had the data, the years to develop,
whether this is something that is legit,
something that can help, or whether it's harmful.
You know, we see the situation with Novak Djokovic,
the embarrassment that he has caused,
not because of himself, but because of our governments.
Just the inconsistency, the trying to separate,
trying to divide people based on
whether they want to be vaccinated or not,
the segregation of people.
I mean, this is ungodly, removing our freedoms,
removing our liberties, brethren.
We live in a ungodly nation.
And so it can be frustrating, can't it?
It can be really difficult.
It can be a mental strain.
And I think many of us have probably suffered mentally
to some extent with all this COVID world
that we live in, brethren.
When we find ourselves in a nation that is so weak
and so far from God, we should be like the Psalmist
and turn to God and say, God, judge me, oh God,
and plead my cause against an ungodly nation.
You know, Novak Djokovic, she had his, you know,
well-paid lawyers to plead his cause
to be allowed to stay in Australia.
You know, I think if many of us had the reputation,
had the power, had the money to take on a government,
I think we would, but brethren, we don't need the money.
We don't need all that power.
We don't need to be like Novak Djokovic
and have good representation.
We've got the Lord God.
We go, God, you plead our cause.
You judge me in this ungodly world.
You know, God, you are bringing
your judgment upon Australia.
You're allowing this nation to go down the toilet, God,
but you know, I'm your child, God.
You know, I live for you.
I love you, Lord.
I need to live in this ungodly world.
I cannot remove myself.
Lord, you've placed me here in 2022
to live in this COVID world.
You've placed me on this earth
to be a representative for you.
You've placed me here to lead others
to the Lord Jesus Christ
through the wonderful gospel message, Lord.
So I need you to help me to live in this ungodly world.
I need you to judge me for my righteousness,
for trying to live a godly life.
Lord, judge me that I'm a child of God
and I'm just gonna serve you in this ungodly world.
God, you've got to open my paths.
You've got to give me stability.
You've got to give me soundness of mind.
You've got to give me joy.
You've got to give me the encouragement,
the zeal to continue to walk in your paths,
even though we live in such an ungodly, wicked world.
And brethren, we see this in the Psalmist.
He looks at his nation,
he goes, what an ungodly nation that I live in.
And we look at Australia,
certainly this is an ungodly nation.
Oh, deliver me from the deceitful and unjust men.
You know, I'm gonna quickly read to you from John 17, 15.
Just a reminder, these are, you don't need to turn.
They just say in the Psalms, that's John 17, 15.
Jesus Christ says, he's speaking to the Father.
He's praying to the Father.
He says, I pray not that thou shouldst take them
out of the world.
You know, sometimes we look at this ungodly world
and we say, God, just take us out of here.
You know, Lord, return, please come back.
You know, please destroy this place
and take me to be with you in heaven.
But Jesus Christ does not want us
to be removed from this world.
He wants us to live in this ungodly nation,
even though you may not want to live in this nation.
You know what, Christ wants you to live in this nation.
He says, but thou shouldst keep them from the evil.
You see, we have a purpose in this world, brethren.
What an honor to live in 2022.
What an honor to live through COVID world, okay?
Because there are challenges
that God wanted you to go through.
He wanted you to be a representative for him
at this place at this time, there on the Sunshine Coast,
there at New Life Baptist Church
to serve him to be a light to this world.
You've got a great purpose, brethren.
You know, don't become so discouraged at this world.
God has a plan for you and me.
He has a plan for our church
to reach the unsaved here in this world.
We are not to be removed out of this world.
Even Christ is in verse number 16 in John 17.
John 17, 16, it says, they are not of the world,
even as I am not of the world.
Praise God.
Just as much as Christ was not of this world,
of this ungodly world, nor are we, brethren.
And so we need to ask God, God,
you know, when you judge this world, please keep me safe.
Keep me separate from the judgment
that you're passing down in Australia.
Help me to live the life that Christ wants us to live,
to be a witness unto him.
You know, I truly believe the more we desire
to be a witness for Christ, to stand out in this world,
the more protection God's gonna give us.
The greater freedoms and liberties
we're gonna have in a world that is ungodly.
Hey, but if we're ineffective for God,
if we're not serving him,
if we're not doing the most basic things
that God wants us to do,
why should we turn to God and ask him
to keep us safe in this ungodly world?
You know, we should, you know, as far as this world goes,
you know, it's a disaster.
It's going down the toilet.
You know, we are gonna be judged in that sense.
We're gonna be part of those consequences
of God's judgment upon this nation.
But you know, if we just set our sights for Christ,
serving the Lord, he will keep us safe.
He will keep us, he will plead our cause
and make our ways easy
for this tough world that we live in.
Now, brethren, even though we live in this ungodly world,
even though part of our heart wants just God
to judge his place and to be done with it,
we need to remind ourselves that, you know,
Christ came for the ungodly.
In fact, I'll just quickly read to you
from Romans chapter four, verse number five.
It says, but to him that worketh not,
but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly,
his faith is counted for righteousness.
Brethren, yes, we are living in an ungodly world,
but Christ came for this ungodly world.
Christ came to justify the ungodly.
And brethren, it's by faith.
It's by the finished work of Christ
placing our faith on Jesus
that gives us justification in the eyes of God.
And that's why we're here.
Please remind yourself why you're here.
You know, please don't go to God.
God, remove me out of this ungodly world
when you have so much to accomplish,
when God has a great purpose for you
to reach this ungodly world
with the good news of the gospel.
Let's keep going there in verse number two,
Psalm 43, verse number two.
It says, for thou art the God of my strength.
Brethren, living in an ungodly world
can really make us weak, can't it?
It can really make us discouraged
and cast out and frustrated.
You know, I don't know if you guys are frustrated.
I know you guys are limited.
You can't go to certain venues at this moment
in time for you.
And I don't know, you know,
there are different levels of frustration.
We all cope differently.
Some of us, it's probably no big deal.
We just get on with it.
And others, for others,
I'm sure it's a big deal for others.
Okay, brethren, but you know what,
where our strength comes from?
Our strength does not come from our constitution.
Our strength does not come from our freedoms.
Our strength does not come on the strength
of our bank accounts or our financial positions
or our jobs.
The Bible says, for thou art the God of my strength.
Brethren, we can be strong in an ungodly world.
We can be strong no matter what difficulties we go through
because we've got God.
Amen.
We've got the creator.
We've got the most powerful being that will ever exist.
He's the alpha omega.
Strength comes from our God, brethren.
And so we need to soldier on.
We need to work for that new man that God has given us.
He is our strength.
For thou art the God of my strength.
It says in verse number two.
Why dost thou cast me off?
Why go I mourning?
Because of the oppression of the enemy.
And so brethren, you may feel cast off.
You may feel that way, right?
When we live in this ungodly world and we get discouraged,
we may feel like God is so far away.
And yet Bible says in Hebrews 13 five,
I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.
These are the words of God.
I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.
So the Psalmist feels he's cast off,
but the reality is that God has never left us.
He has never forsaken us.
In fact, one of the beautiful things of the New Testament,
we have the permanent indwelling of the Holy Ghost.
No matter where this body goes, God is right there.
You know, his presence is right there
within the Holy Ghost that's living in me.
And so you cannot get far from God, even if you try.
Even if you feel like God has cast you off,
he has not because the Holy Spirit lives
within us, brethren.
But notice that, you know, these are true emotions
as we live in an ungodly world,
these deceitful men that we cannot trust,
these politicians, man, what is wrong
with these politicians that we have?
So embarrassing to our nation.
And you know what, but here's the thing,
that's not our strength, right?
Our strength comes from God.
You know, if you can please turn to Philippians chapter four,
keep your finger there in Psalm 43
and turn to Philippians chapter four.
Philippians chapter four.
Philippians chapter four, verse number 12.
Just a very familiar passage,
and I want to bring you remembrance here.
Philippians chapter four, verse number 12.
Philippians 4, 12 reads,
I know both how to be abased,
and I know how to abound, okay?
So to be abased is to be lowered.
To be abased is to go without, to have great needs.
You know, Paul says, I know what it's like
to be abased, to be lowered, to be needful.
And I also know how to abound.
I know how to be fruitful.
You know, there have been times in my life
when I've had everything that I needed
and God has provided all,
and he's gone through both of those things.
Then he says, everywhere and in all things,
I'm instructed both to be full and to be hungry,
both to abound and to suffer need.
And then we have the wonderful verse on the 13.
I can do all things through Christ,
which strengtheneth me.
You know, Paul says, I can do all things.
I can go through all situations,
abounding or being abased.
You know, being hungry or being full,
whatever situation I find myself in.
He says, I can be strengthened.
My strength comes from Jesus Christ
and I can do anything the Lord asks me to do.
Reverend, we've got great strength in our Lord God.
As I mentioned, we've got the Holy Spirit of God
living within us.
This is our strength.
We need to just tap into God's power
and ask God, can you strengthen me?
You say, I'm weak physically.
Yes, I'm weak physically too.
I'm already feeling tired.
I'm already feeling dizzy preaching this.
I told you, I just put any effort in,
I'm starting to feel weak, you know?
But here's the thing.
You know, it doesn't matter what we feel like
on the outside.
In the new man, brethren, we can be strong.
We have got the strength of Jesus Christ.
Amen.
We can go through any situation.
The Bible says so.
Do we believe the Bible?
Yes, we do.
Can we, do we believe we can get through
to the other side of this COVID world,
these new normals?
Yes, we can.
Can we get through the limitations
of not being able to go to certain places?
Yes.
You know what?
I'm glad you're suffering a little bit.
I'm glad you're a little bit weak
because when we go through weakness,
that's the opportunity that we can get the strength
from God and not rely on our own strength,
not rely on this human being.
And because when we rely on ourselves, brethren,
it becomes, it's pride, isn't it?
It's ego.
We start thinking highly of ourselves,
but brethren, we need to remind ourselves,
we are but dust.
We need the strength of God to get through life.
We need the strength of God
to get through this ungodly world.
What else do I need to say then in verse number two?
Psalm 43, verse number two.
Why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?
What's oppression?
Oppression is to be cruelly prevented
from freedom and opportunities.
Isn't that what we've just gone through?
Isn't that the experience that we can have right now?
Certain opportunities, certain freedoms right now
have been removed from us.
In other words, we are oppressed.
We are an oppressed people, brethren.
You know, the freedom to just go back to Queensland,
go back home.
I bought a house.
I haven't seen it yet.
Other people are living there in my new home.
You know, for the freedom to just go home
and be settled and have a place to stay
and know this is our stability in this world
to some extent, brethren, that's a wonderful opportunity.
That's a wonderful freedom that I should have,
but it's been taken away from me because we're oppressed,
because we live with oppressive politicians, brethren.
But then what do we do?
Why go I mourning?
Am I gonna be mourned about it?
Am I just gonna be sad about it?
I'm just gonna weep and whine and complain.
Oh, this COVID world.
Oh, this is the freedom.
Oh, man, it's so hard.
Should we have been living like that?
No, brethren, we should be strong people.
We should rely on the strength that come from Christ.
You know what?
We need to go for these challenges.
We need to go for these difficulties.
We need to lose our freedoms.
We need to lose our opportunities, brethren,
so we can learn to trust Christ to go, you know what?
I need a time of hunger.
Christ, I've been living in Australia for 40 years
and I've just abandoned my entire life.
I've always been full.
I've never gone without.
There's never been struggles in Australia.
Well, finally, we can have some
so we can turn to God and say, God, I need your strength.
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me
and rely upon the Lord rather than rely upon mankind.
We need to go for these challenges, brethren.
We need to live in this ungodly world.
We need to deal with some of the frustrations
so we can learn to just draw from the Lord,
draw from him alone.
And you'll notice that when you draw from the Lord,
you're gonna be stronger
than you've ever been to be strong before.
You'll be able to do all things through Christ.
We keep going there in verse number three,
Psalm 43, verse number three.
He says, oh, send out thy light and thy truth.
Let them lead me.
Let them bring me unto thy holy hill and thy tabernacles.
So when the Psalmist says,
look, send out thy light and thy truth, what could that be?
Well, we know, if you can actually please
turn to John 17.
Turn to John 17 for me, John chapter 17.
And while you're turning to John 17,
I'll read to you from Psalm 119, verse 105.
You turn to John 17, I'll read to you from Psalm 119, 105.
What could be this light?
The Bible says, thy word is a lamp unto my feet
and a light unto my path.
Thy word, the Bible, the scriptures,
brethren, this is a light.
Oh, send out thy light and thy truth.
Yeah, Lord, I need your light
because I live in an ungodly world.
I live in a world of darkness.
We need lights.
Reverend, you know where that light comes from?
Not from your conspiracy theorists,
not from the alternative media.
Stop listening to that garbage, Reverend.
There is so much garbage in mainstream media.
There is so much garbage in the alternative media.
Reverend, it's garbage, it's darkness.
This is the light of God's word.
This is what's gonna get you through COVID world, all right?
The light and the truth.
We need to go, God, give me your light.
Help me to walk through darkness.
And it comes through the Bible.
It comes through Bible preaching.
I'm glad you're in church tonight, Reverend,
because it's time we get some light out there, amen?
We need some truth as well.
What does the Bible say there in John 17, 17?
John 17, 17.
It says, sanctify them through thy truth.
Thy word is truth, amen.
The Bible, the word, it's light and it's truth.
Reverend, we need 100% truth.
We need the truth of God's word to work in our lives,
to lead us, to guide us.
It's found in his word.
Reverend, please pick up your Bibles.
Read it, we need it more in 2022
than we've ever needed it in our lives, okay?
It keeps going there, verse number 18, John 17, 18.
And thou has sent me into the world.
Even so have I sent them into the world.
Yes, Christ has sent us in this ungodly nation of Australia.
You live in Australia because Christ has sent you here.
You live on the Sunshine Coast
because Christ has put you there on the Sunshine Coast.
Christ has sent you there, Reverend.
You need the truth of God's word.
You need his word to live the life that God has for you.
Verse number 19, and for their sakes I sanctify myself
that they might also be sanctified through the truth.
What cleanses us?
What sanctifies us, Reverend?
The truth of God's word.
What is the light of God's word?
What is the light, sorry, it is the light of God's word
that will direct us in these paths of darkness.
Reverend, we need our Bibles.
This is what we should be turning to.
This is the first thing you should be opening up
when you wake up in the morning.
It's God's word.
God, what do you want me to do?
What's the date today?
Is it the 13th?
I'm losing track of time, maybe the 12th.
What is the date?
Today's the 12th, the 12th of January, okay?
Lord, you want me to walk on the 12th of January, okay?
This Wednesday.
I'm gonna open your word,
and God, I need you to instruct me.
I need you to direct me.
I need you to shine lights
in this dark, ungodly world that I live in.
And Reverend, as it said there in verse number three,
in Psalm 43, verse number three,
I'll send out thy light and thy truth white.
Let them lead me.
Yes, that's what leads us.
That's what gives us direction in life.
That's what's gonna give you direction in 2022.
That's what's gonna give you direction in COVID world.
God's light, God's truth in His word.
I'm sick and tired of alternative media
and all the conspiracy.
I'm sick of it because there is no light in those things.
It's not the light and truth of God's word.
God's word is what guides us, brethren.
You know what?
Our church, New Life Baptist Church,
is a church that's built on God's word.
It's not built on any other rubbish that's out there.
This world is full of rubbish.
It comes from God's word.
This is our foundation.
This is our pathway.
This is our light.
This is our truth, God's word.
This comes first above everything
that we receive in this world.
And brethren, let them lead me.
Where is it gonna lead you?
Where is God's light and truth gonna lead you?
I love this.
It says, in verse number three,
let them bring me unto thy holy hill.
You know, the holy hill, of course, is Mount Zion,
and Mount Zion is located there in Jerusalem.
The reason the holy hill has been referred to here,
because this is before the temple was built.
So we have the tabernacle,
the tabernacle system, okay, of sacrifices.
And we know that the tabernacle,
and then eventually the temple,
is also called the house of God.
You know where God's light and truth
is gonna lead you to church?
Because church in the New Testament is the house of God.
The reason you're there now at New Life Baptist Church
is because God's light and truth has led you to his house.
Brethren, let it never be said
that you feel like God is leading you out of church.
Now look, brethren, I'm not saying
that God may never pick you up from New Life Baptist Church
and plan you in another good church.
I'm not saying that.
But if you determine one day to think,
well, you know what, there are no good churches.
There are no places that I can be.
You know what?
I believe God's just leading me out
to just have my own little fellowship
with my family and friends in my own house.
I don't need church.
I don't need God's house.
I don't need his tabernacle.
You know what?
No, that is not the guidance of God's truth and light, okay?
God's word is going to lead you to a good, sound church.
And for us, brethren, it's New Life Baptist Church, amen.
We've got one, okay?
Let it never be said that you'll be led by God
outside of that truth.
You know, we need to find ourselves in the holy hill,
in the tabernacle of God.
Now, if you also notice there in Psalm 43 verse three,
it says, and to thy tabernacles.
I thought this was quite interesting.
I wanted to share this.
I was kind of, I was waiting for,
what is the opportunity that I can actually preach on this?
So I wanted to cover this a little bit here.
You'll notice that there are multiple tabernacles.
You say, hold on, because we don't think that way, right?
When God establishes tabernacle,
we tend to think of that one tabernacle
where the sacrifices are being offered
and the Holy of Holies is there behind the veil.
And I just want to show you this.
If you can please turn to,
turn to Hebrews chapter nine, please.
Go to Hebrews chapter nine.
Actually, let's go to Hebrews chapter 12 first.
Turn to Hebrews chapter 12, Hebrews chapter 12.
I actually want to show you this first.
Hebrews chapter 12 and verse number 22,
because I don't want you to think, you know,
the Psalmists, the Psalms, well, that's not for me.
You know, we don't have this Mount Zion.
We don't have this Olliel as it were
in the Old Testament days.
We don't have that tabernacle.
Now what we do is we take the principles
and look, is there, you know, we look at, you know,
whether that was symbolic of some greater truth,
many times the Old Testament objects
are symbolism of something greater.
And as I said to you, God's word's going to lead us
to church, the house of God,
and the house of God in the Old Testament days,
of course, in the times of the Psalm anyway,
was a tabernacle.
But I want you to notice here in Hebrews 12,
verse number 22, Hebrews 12, verse number 22,
because we do have a Mount Zion,
a holy hill that we are looking forward to,
still to come, amen.
It says in Hebrews 12, 22,
but ye are come unto Mount Zion
and unto the city of the living God,
the heavenly Jerusalem,
and to an innumerable company of angels.
Reverend, we know there is a heavenly Jerusalem,
the new city, when God creates the new heavens
and the new earth,
that new city is going to descend from heaven to the earth.
And the Bible says, this is Mount Zion
that we're looking forward to.
And so the earthly Mount Zion was just a picture
of the Mount Zion to come.
The earthly Mount Zion is where the tabernacle was set up.
As I said to you, the tabernacle was the house of God,
the church today is the house of God.
But you know what?
Keep going there in verse number 23,
it says, to the general assembly and church
of the firstborn, which are written in heaven,
and to God the judge of all,
and to the spirits of just men made perfect,
and to Jesus, the mediator of the new covenant,
and to the blood of sprinkling
that speak of better things than that of Abel.
Reverend, we are going to church,
heavenly church one day, Mount Zion, heavenly Jerusalem,
amongst all the angel, amongst all the believers of God,
we're going to be together.
We're finally going to have that universal church.
Amen.
That heavenly church, Mount Zion.
Reverend, that's where God's word leads us.
I can't wait.
I can't wait to be gathered together for church,
but with every believer that's ever lived,
that's ever been sanctified by the word of God.
Amen.
Amongst the heavenly host, praising and glorifying God.
But I just want to show you that, okay?
We still have this future Mount Zion to come,
which is the church of the firstborn.
Everyone that's been saved,
then we have pictures of this in the Old Testament.
The Mount Zion, the Holy Hill,
he goes to the tabernacle,
but what do we have today in between these two things?
We've got the house of God, the New Testament church,
which for you is New Life Baptist Church.
Reverend, God wants us in his church.
Reverend, in order for us to live in this ungodly world,
we need to find ourselves in church.
This is where there's sanity.
This is where we hear truth.
We can have the light shine in this dark world, Reverend.
You know, we're normal people.
The saved, we're normal people.
Amen.
It's nice to have some normality
in this crazy world that we live in.
Praise God for church.
You know, please always understand that church is the place
that God wants us to be.
But I want you to turn to Hebrews chapter nine now.
Hebrews chapter nine.
And I want to show you the heart of the psalmist here,
because we can obviously just read the fact
that he's looking out for the tabernacles,
plural as I said to you.
Turn to Hebrews chapter nine.
I want to show you these plurality of the tabernacles.
And then we can sort of see where his heart is,
the psalmist's heart, okay?
Now, I don't know if the psalmist is David.
My Bible doesn't say that.
He could be.
We don't necessarily know.
We know that obviously many of the psalms
were written by David.
But notice Hebrews chapter nine.
Let's start there in verse number one.
Hebrews chapter nine in verse number one.
The Bible says,
then verily the first covenant,
that's the old covenant, okay, Old Testament,
had also ordinances of divine service
and a worldly sanctuary.
For there was a tabernacle maid, okay?
So as we saw in the Psalms,
there were tabernacles, plural.
So notice what it says here.
For there was a tabernacle maid, the first.
So there was a first tabernacle, okay?
Wherein was the candlestick and the table
and the showbread, which is called the sanctuary.
So this is the general entrance of the tabernacle.
This is known as the first tabernacle
where you've got the showbread,
you've got the candlesticks, et cetera, et cetera, okay?
But look at verse number three.
And after the second veil, the tabernacle,
the tabernacle, okay, which is called the holiest of all.
So the holiest of all, where the veil,
where only the high priest was allowed to enter
once a year, that was also called a tabernacle, okay?
So when you talk about the tabernacles,
yes, we're talking about the general entrance
of the tabernacle, but behind the veil,
the Bible says is another tabernacle.
That's where you get the plurality of the tabernacles.
Now, once again, the only person
that could enter that place was the high priest, okay?
So I think, and we know that that's the place
where the blood will be offered.
We know that when we're gonna keep reading here,
this was a picture of a heavenly tabernacle,
a place where Christ would take his own blood
and sprinkle that upon the mercy seat in heaven, okay?
Which would obviously open the doors to the New Testament.
Okay, let's keep reading then, verse number three.
Sorry, verse number four, which had the golden censer,
this is the tabernacle, the second veil, the tabernacle,
which had the golden censer and the ark of the covenant
overlaid round about with gold,
wherein was the golden pot that had manna,
and Aaron's rod that buttered,
and the tables of the covenants.
And over it, the cherubims of glory shadowing
the mercy seat of which we cannot now speak particularly.
Now, when these things were thus ordained,
the priest went always into the first tabernacle, right?
The priest would serve in the first tabernacle,
accomplishing the service of God, verse number seven.
But into the second tabernacle
went the high priest alone once every year,
just like I explained to you,
that was a one-time event, once a year event.
Not without blood which he offered for himself
and for the errors of the people,
the Holy Ghost is signifying
that the way to the holiest of all
was not yet made manifest
while as the first tabernacle was yet standing.
Verse number nine, which was a figure
for the time then present.
So all of these things present are just figures.
They're just symbols of a greater truth,
which was a figure for the time then present
in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices
that could not make him that did the service perfect
as pertaining to the conscience,
which stood only in meats and drinks
and diverse washings and carnal ordinances
imposed on them until the time of reformation.
This is where I want to get to though, verse number 11.
About Christ being come and high priest
of good things to come
by a greater and more perfect tabernacle,
not made with hands,
that is to say not of this building,
neither by the blood of goats and calves,
but by his own blood,
he entered in once into the holy place,
having obtained eternal redemption for us.
And so the high priest going in once a year
into that second tabernacle beyond the veil
was a picture that Christ would come
not on a beauty on the earth,
but a tabernacle in heaven and present his blood
and manifest his salvation to the world.
And so brethren, when we think about the psalmist,
what is the psalmist saying?
When he says,
and let them bring me unto thy holy hill
and to thy tabernacles.
Not only was he excited to be in the congregation,
not only was he excited to be in the presence of God,
but he was looking forward to that time
when the salvation, the sacrifice of Christ
would be manifest through Christ offering his blood.
Because remember, these things are just symbols.
These things are just pictures in the Old Testament.
He was looking for that greater truth,
salvation by the shed blood of Jesus Christ.
And so brethren, you know what gets us
through this ungodly world?
Not just the desire to be in the house of God,
and that's wonderful to be amongst believers
and singing God praises,
but the excitement,
the love of the shed blood of Christ,
that he was shed for you,
that you've been cleansed of your sins, brethren.
And no matter how ungodly this world continues to become
and how wicked this world continues to become, brethren,
I stand before God in the blood of Jesus Christ,
which was shed for me.
And he sees me as forgiven.
He sees me as perfect.
He sees me in the righteousness of Jesus Christ
because Christ has paid for all of my sins.
All of my sins were taken upon his body
and crucified to that tree, brethren.
And I can stand before God in the righteousness of Christ,
even though I live in an ungodly world.
That's the excitement that the Psalmist has,
looking forward to that manifestation of the salvation
that comes through the shed blood of Jesus Christ.
Amen.
So you can see the Psalmist's heart.
Not only was he excited for the tabernacle,
he was excited for the tabernacles, okay?
What would picture Christ's ultimate sacrifice.
And brethren, that's the excitement.
That's why, you know, I still love Christmas.
I still love Easter.
And even though this world does not understand,
at least the world temporarily pauses
to think about what Christ has done.
And you know what, even in an ungodly world,
thank God we still have these holidays.
All right, here's the thing.
You know what?
Even if this ungodly, wicked world that we live in,
even if they remove Christmas and Easter, it doesn't matter.
You know, Christ's salvation and Christ's sacrifice
was once for all.
We can celebrate it.
We can think about it.
We can meditate on it.
And brethren, this is what's gonna get you
for this ungodly world.
Reminding yourself of what Christ has done,
how much he's suffered for you,
that he laid down his life, that he loves you so much,
that he's given you forgiveness of sins,
and he wants you to live on his behalf on this world.
He wants us to be his servant, to follow his steps,
to do the works that God has left us to do.
Let's go back to Psalm 43 and verse number four.
Psalm 43 and verse number four, please.
Psalm 43 and verse number four.
It says, then will I go on to the altar of God.
So of course we understand
if you're going in the Old Testament tabernacle,
you're going before the altar of God,
where you bring your sacrifices, amen?
Then I will go on to the altar of God,
and to God my exceeding joy,
yea, upon the harp will I praise thee, O God my God.
And again, you know, please don't detach yourself
from the Old Testament scriptures.
Say, but we don't have this altar.
You know, we don't go before God and offer his sacrifices,
and we sing praises to God.
That doesn't happen today.
Does it, Pastor Kevin?
Well, yes, it does.
Remember, these things are symbolic of greater truths.
So again, please turn to Hebrews.
And the book of Hebrews is just a wonderful book
to understand the changes
between the Old Testament and the New Testament,
but also to understand the symbolism of the Old Testament
in New Testament truths.
So if you go to Hebrews 13 and verse number 10, please.
Hebrews 13 and verse number 10.
And you're correct to say
that we don't come to God in an altar bringing sacrifices.
We don't take a lamb and shed the blood, okay?
Because Christ has fulfilled that.
Christ is our ultimate sacrifice, okay?
But we still have an altar, okay?
We still have an altar.
You say, well, what is it?
Well, Hebrews 13 verse number 10.
Hebrews 13 and verse number 10.
We have an altar.
There it is, brethren.
We have an altar.
Hebrews 13 verse 10.
So yes, we can apply Old Testament teaching there
from Psalms applied to me.
How do we apply New Testament passage?
Let's have a look at it.
We have an altar,
where they have no right to eat,
which serve the tabernacle.
So the old tabernacle, the old altar,
the priest could eat of it, right?
They would offer, bring the animals,
they'd do a barbecue, and the Levites,
they would eat of that sacrifice.
But you know what?
The altar that we've got
is not one where people can eat off in that same sense, okay?
Again, these are spiritual realities,
Old Testament symbolism of New Testament spiritual truths.
Verse number 11.
It says, for the bodies of those beasts,
the Old Testament beasts,
whose blood is brought into the sanctuary
by the high priest for sin,
are burned without the camp,
wherefore Jesus also,
that he might sanctify the people with his own blood,
suffered without the gate.
So our altar, our sacrifice is Christ,
living in the New Testament times,
Christ is that sacrifice.
Notice verse number 13.
Let us go, therefore, unto him,
without the camp, bearing his reproach.
For here we have no continuing city,
but we seek one to come.
We already talked about it, heavenly Jerusalem.
Now notice verse number 15.
By him, therefore, let us offer the sacrifice
of praise to God continually.
So what did we read in Psalm 43?
It says, it said,
then will I go unto the altar of God,
unto God my exceeding joy,
yea, upon the harp will I praise thee,
O God, my God.
The Old Testament saints would go before the altar,
bring their sacrifices and praise God
with a singing of the playing of the harps.
Reverend, we have an altar as well.
We've got the altar of Christ,
and we've come before Christ.
It says in verse 15,
let us offer the sacrifice of what?
Of praise to God continually.
Reverend, we do come and bring a sacrifice.
In that sacrifice is us singing praises
before the service, before I preached.
Brother Caleb was song leading.
You guys were singing praises.
You know what that is, Reverend?
A sacrifice of praise.
And I keep reminding yourself and I keep encouraging you,
please sing with all your heart.
Please sing with joy.
Please sing with love.
You know, don't just go through the motions
and just go through the words.
Please think about what you're singing.
Please think about who you're singing to
and give him your praise.
Give him your worship.
He deserves it, Reverend.
He deserves that sacrifice of praise.
That is our altar, thanking Christ for his sacrifice.
By him, therefore, let us offer the sacrifice of praise
to God continually.
That is the fruit of our lips,
giving thanks to his name.
Reverend, how else?
We give thanks to Christ.
We give thanks to God for everything that we have.
Thank you, Lord, for 2022.
Thank you, Lord, for COVID world.
Thank you, Lord, that I've contracted COVID.
Omicron.
Well, I think it's Omicron.
I don't know.
Thank you, Lord,
because I can learn to draw from your strength.
Lord, you've allowed me to live through 2022.
You're allowing me to serve you
in this ungodly world that you've given me.
Lord, you know, Reverend,
we need to just give God thanks
for everything that he's given us,
whether we are bound or whether we're abased,
whether we're full or whether we're hungry,
we give God thanks.
We give him praise, Reverend.
That is our altar.
We give our sacrifice of praises and thanksgiving to God.
Please open your mouth and thank God and praise him
and worship him.
He deserves it.
He's given you his life.
He's given you salvation.
What else?
Verse number 16, there in Hebrews 13, Hebrews 13, 16.
But to do good and to communicate, forget not.
That's the fellowship.
Okay, look at this.
For with such sacrifices, God is well pleased.
So you know what?
Our fellowship, our communication,
doing good to one another, Reverend.
This is also a sacrifice that pleases God.
So, Reverend, we have an altar.
Amen, we've got an altar.
We better bring our sacrifices to God,
singing him praises, giving him thanks,
and fellowshiping, doing good to our brothers
and sisters in the Lord.
This is why we have church.
So we have the opportunity to do good to one another,
to love one another, to serve one another,
to encourage one another, Reverend.
These are the sacrifices that pleases God.
And, Reverend, I want us to please God.
I want New Life Baptist Church to please God.
I want each one of us, man, woman, child,
every family to please God.
And we can only do those things in the house of God
by praising him, by thanking him,
by serving and loving and helping one another.
Let's keep going there.
Back in Psalm 43.
Psalm 43, verse number five.
And even though I'm saying all this, Reverend,
again, I love the Psalms because it's so real.
Yeah, we know what God's word says.
We can be encouraged by the light and truth
that comes from God's word.
But then the Psalmist says,
why art thou cast down, O my soul?
That's how it is, Reverend.
It's life, isn't it?
You know, even though we just were soldering for God
and we know that God's our strength and we praise him
and we thank him for him,
we just know he's done so much for us.
And yet sometimes we can still be cast down, O my.
Why art thou cast down, O my soul?
You say, it doesn't make sense.
Why am I cast down?
Because we have the flesh.
That's why.
Because we're still weak in the flesh.
Because we can never walk 100% in light and truth.
We can never be 100% in the spirit.
We're constantly fighting this flesh.
We're constantly fighting the frustrations that come,
the burdens, the stresses that come in this flesh
when we stop focusing on the Lord.
You know, we all go through this.
The Psalmist goes through this.
Why art thou cast down?
And why art thou disquieted within me?
It's like, why are you doing this way?
Why are you feeling this way, soul?
When we've got God, when we've got salvation,
when we've got the Holy Hill and we've got Zion,
we've got the tabernacle, we've got the house of God,
why are we still cast down on my soul?
It doesn't make sense, yeah?
But you're gonna go through that.
And we're all going through that.
We all go through that, all right?
This is why the Psalms are so beautiful,
because it's so real.
It touches the human heart.
We know that we have ups and downs.
We know that we can have a great spiritual life today
and be in the dumps tomorrow.
That's what the Psalmist shows us, that this is normal.
This is part of life.
We go through this, okay?
But here's the thing, when you get cast down,
when you feel like the Lord is far from you,
you just, you know what, you pick yourself up.
What does it say here?
Hope in God.
Yeah, that's what we do.
When you're feeling cast down, hope in God.
Look at this, for I shall yet praise him.
I love it.
He goes, even though I'm cast down, even though I'm worried,
I'm still gonna praise God.
Yeah, I'm still gonna hope in God.
Why?
Because it says this, for I shall yet praise him
who is the health of my countenance and my God.
I love that.
Who is the health of my countenance and my God.
You know, all we hear every single day is the health advice.
You know, New South Wales health, Queensland health,
the minister of health, the chief health officer,
the world health organization, health, health, health.
Vaccine, vaccine, vaccine, booster, booster, booster.
You know what?
Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God.
This body is sick.
It's sick with sin.
We've all sick with sin.
This body is corrupted.
This body is going to die.
And I'm thankful the day that it dies, brethren.
God has promised us a new resurrected body one day, brethren,
a body that will never be sick, will never have sin,
will never have aches and pains.
But brethren, listen, the world is so caught up
in the health of this body,
but I want you to be focused this night, tonight
on the health of your countenance.
Who is the health of my countenance?
What does that mean?
Your countenance is your face, okay?
You know what?
You can be sickly.
You can have COVID.
You can be in a bad physical state.
You can be in the dumps as far as health is concerned.
And yet on your face, you can have great health.
You can have great health in your countenance.
You know, the countenance, your face is basically your mood,
you know, your emotions, your outlook to life.
Even if you live in an ungodly world,
you can still be excited, pumped up, happy, joyful, excited,
looking forward to eternity, laying up treasures in heaven,
serving God, going soul winning, singing praises to God,
reading the Bible, getting the lion's tree for God's word
and just have a positive outlook to life.
Yes, you can, in 2022.
Yes, you can, even if you're suffering COVID right now
or some other physical health issue.
You know what?
On your face, it can tell a lot about you.
And you know what?
That health comes from God.
It only comes from God.
To be in a good mood, to have positive emotions,
to have an encouraged outlook to life,
a positive outlook to life, brethren, it comes from God.
He is the health of my countenance.
And I hope you can think about that, brethren,
because when you focus on an ungodly world,
it's just gonna cast you down.
When you focus on these deteriorating bodies,
it's gonna cast you down,
but you set your heart and your focus and your love
on the Lord God, He's gonna give you health as well
for that health is on your outlook to life.
It's on your countenance, it's on your face.
You can be someone that is just blessed,
just living life to its fullest, living the abundant life,
just praising God, regardless of what year you live,
regardless of what stage of COVID world we live in,
brethren, regardless of how ungodly and wicked
this world gets, you can be positive.
You can have a great outlook to life.
You can be an encouragement to other brethren,
but listen, it comes from the health of God,
the health of your countenance.
It must come from God and God alone.
You know, God has given us the light and truth of His word.
Brethren, please get your heads into His Bible.
We need it more than ever.
His word is gonna lead us to the house of God
to praise Him amongst the believers, amongst the brethren.
One day God promises us eternity, a new home in heaven,
the church of the firstborn,
saved with every believer praising God for all eternity.
What an exciting time for that to be.
You know what, brethren, right now,
God wants us to live in 2022, okay?
He doesn't want us removed from this world.
Yes, we should pray to God to help us protect us from evil,
you know, to judge us, to plead our cause
in this ungodly world.
And brethren, I'm excited for the future.
I'm excited for what's around the corner.
You know, I don't know what's around the corner.
I have no idea, but I'm excited for it
because I have a God that's gonna look out for us.
I have a God that pleads our cause, that protects us.
We've got a God that has a mission for us on this world,
on the Sunshine Coast in Australia.
You know, He's placed us this year,
He's given us our church, our brothers and sisters in law.
He's given each one of us, brethren,
to encourage one another
and to do a great work for His house and for His kingdom.
All right, let's pray.