The Lord’s Message:  Summer of Psalms:  Abiding in God

The Lord’s Message:  Summer of Psalms:  Abiding in God
Date:  July 13, 2025
Where:  Tilghman Methodist Church
Scripture Reference:  Psalm 16

            We are continuing our summer sermon series, Summer of Psalms, by looking at Psalm 16.  Psalm 16 is one of the “golden” Psalms, because David clearly points out how our lives should be lived with God. 

            Let us pray.

            Last Sunday, I said that John Wesley used the structure of a house to describe how God’s grace works in our lives.  John Wesley said the steps of the front porch was Prevenient Grace.  God’s grace working in our lives before we even knew or acknowledged God.  Justifying Grace is the front porch.  After we have acknowledged the existence of God and accepted the relationship that God offers to us through His Son’s death and resurrection, God pours out this grace through the shed blood of Jesus.  By the blood of Jesus, our sins are washed away.  The sins are remembered no more.  We are a new creation, as Paul says that “the old has gone and new has come.”  Just-as-if-I had-never-sinned.  Now, one cannot live on the front porch.  It gets cold and hot on the front porch.  The wind and rains beat in on the front porch.  Living takes place inside of the house.  You have to open the front door and walk in.  By living in the house, this represents Sanctifying Grace.  The grace in which we live into our relationship with God.  The Bible uses the word, “abide” to explain our living into our relationship with God.  It means to dwell, remain, be present, or to be held and kept.”  The best Biblical explanation for abiding is found in Psalm 91:1.

            Now, if I were to come into your house and start to rearrange the furniture, what would you say to me.  Maybe something like this, “This is my house, you are welcome anytime, but do not rearrange the furniture.”  Also, my house and my rules.  How do we live in this new life of Sanctifying Grace with God?  David answers this for us. 

            David starts on in verse 2 and says to God, “You are my Lord.”  This statement shows that David has trust in God.  In order for you to live with someone, you must first trust them.  If you do not trust them and they do not trust you, you are not going to live with them for very long.  Do you trust God with your work?  Do you trust God with your finances?  Do you trust God with your life?  Do you trust God with your soul?  If you do not trust in God, in whom do you trust?  Yourself?  Other people?  The government?  All of them will fail you.  Only God will be with you forever.  David understood this.  He, without hesitation, says “You are my Lord.”  I pray that we could all respond this way. 

            David moves on from trust to dependence.  “Apart from You I have no good thing.”  Are you completely dependent on God?  Do you not know that the ability for us to take a breath, comes from God?  We are so dependent on the Lord every day that we often do not realize this fact.  Every good thing comes from the Lord.  The Lord abundantly blesses us each and every day.  The more we live with God, the more blessings are given to us. 

            God has a big, big house.  The house is not only big enough for all within the sound of my voice, but all followers of Christ throughout the world.  All that have life and died before us.  David declares this in verse 3. “As for the saints, who are in the land, they are the glorious ones in whom is all my delight.”  The Bible gives us a glimpse of this gathering in

Revelation 7: 9-10. 

            Sadly, there are people that will not accept God’s relationship offer through His Son, Jesus Christ.  Jesus is “the way, the truth and the life and no one comes to the Father except through Him.”  David was not around when Jesus walked this earth, but David could see that people were running after other gods.  He says in verse 4a, “The sorrow of those will increase who run after other gods.”  It broke my heart when I saw on the internet a preacher say that God loves all people and God will forgive all people and they will live with God in Heaven.  The preacher went on to say that it does not matter whether you worship other gods.  Then she went on to say that there is no Hell.  Folks, I want you to know the truth.  There is a Heaven and a Hell.  The Hell is there for Satan and his demonic angels and for those who sadly will not accept the truth.  Jesus died on the cross to pay the penalty for their sins.  We are sinners and need to repent and then through the shed blood of Jesus we receive forgiveness.  Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life for us to abide in God.  Do not believe the nonsense that is being put out in our world.  Believe in the Bible.  It is the Word of God.  The Bible explains everything that is necessary for our salvation.

            David goes on to say in verse 4b.  “I will not pour out their libations of blood or take up their names on my lips.”  Some of the idol worship, including sacrificing children, drinking of blood, or cutting of oneself as well as saying the idol’s name over and over again.  An example of this is found in 1 Kings 18:25-30.  Our idols could be money, career, success, social status, possessions, and relationships.  Idols can be sneaky.  I do not like to admit this.   Some years ago, I got addicted to a game on my phone.  I played the game often most of the time waiting for someone.  It seemed harmless, but then I began to think about that game  when I was sleeping.  Trying to strategize how to beat the game.  God told me that game has become your idol.  I remove the game from my phone.  Anything or anyone that is first on our list of priorities is an idol, if it is not God.  Idols do not bring fulfillment, only sadness. 

            In verses 5 & 6, David goes on to tell us what joy and benefits we have living with God.  What a delight it is to know that our salvation is secure.  That our place in heaven is fully arranged.  David knew this because of what God had confirmed to the priests in Numbers 18:20. All the other 11 tribes of Israel were given land to provide for their existence, except for the tribe of Levi.  The Levites were the priests of Israel.  God did not give them land to provide for their existence, because God would give them everything that they needed.  We are foreigners living in a strange land.  We are not home here.  We have a home guaranteed for us in Heaven.  Jesus confirms this in John 14:1-3.  For all of us who believe in Jesus, our inheritance is secure. 

            Just as there are rules in each one of our houses, God has His own set of rules.  In verses 7 & 8, David tells us that God’s rules provide him and us with great counseling to steady our lives on Him. They are the guard rails for us to live and find peace and fulfillment in our lives.  In Matthew 5:17-18, Jesus told us that He did not come to abolish God’s rules and prophecy, but to fulfill all of them.  Then in Matthew 22:37-39, Jesus sums up God rules into two commandments.  Paul tells us in Romans 12:1-2 that a transformation takes place in our lives when we are obedient to God.  This transformation brings stability in our lives even when everything is falling apart around us.  God’s rules are there for us to live in obedience to God, to transform our lives, and gives us stability even in this fallen world. 

            Moving on to the end of this Psalm in verses 9-11, many theologians have concluded that David is writing here in praise of the Messiah to come.  Peter uses these same verses in the Pentecost sermon in Acts 2:25-28.  Paul uses verse 10 in his sermon at the synagogue in Pisidian Antioch in Acts 13:35. I have used these verses at many funerals.  David sees God in action providing for our eternal salvation. 

            “Therefore, my heart is glad.”  Picture a life of living in peace with God.  When your soul is at peace with God, then your heart and life are glad.  Following out of our gladness is our praise and rejoicing of what God has done and is doing in our lives. “My tongue rejoices.”  Do you get up in the morning and rejoice that God has given you another day?  Do you rejoice even when troubles come your way, because God said that “He would never leave you nor forsake you?”  The peace with God that surpasses all understanding allows “our body to rest secure.” Believers in Christ experience a pleasant peace and tranquility.   Believers in Christ want to be in fellowship with other believers in Christ.  I come to church to worship God with the fellowship of believers.  I do not feel complete if I am not in a church worshipping God with other believers in Jesus.  If it is Sunday morning and we are on vacation, JoAnn and I look up what churches are in the area.  I need to be in the house of the Lord. 

            In verse 10, when my life comes to an end, I can rest in assurance knowing my inheritance is secure. If God raised Jesus from the dead, God will also raise me from the dead, as well.  Paul confirms this in 1 Corinthians 6:14. 

            Verse 11 celebrates what it means to abide with God.  Sanctifying Grace is the grace that God provides through His Son, Jesus, for us to abide with God now and in eternity.

            Let us continue to read the Bible, put into practice what we have learned and be the Bible for others.  Amen.