https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=3622216794522787
Download Instrumental Only Now…
Download Sermon Audio Only Now…
TEXT: PSALMS 94:16-23
16 Who will rise up for me against the evildoers? or who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity?
17 Unless the LORD had been my help, my soul had almost dwelt in silence.
18 When I said, My foot slippeth; thy mercy, O LORD, held me up.
19 In the multitudes of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul.
20 Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee, which frameth mischief by a law?
21 They gather themselves together against the soul of the righteous, and condemn the innocent blood.
22 But the LORD is my defence; and my God is the rock of my refuge.
23 And he shall bring upon them their own iniquity, and shall cut them off in their own wickedness; yea, the LORD our God shall cut them off.
The psalmist finds himself, as at other times, in difficulty, calamity, or hardships. But also the help, and resolution to that, within the psalm. Our focus will be verses 16 – 22. Now we will also go to Luke 2: 6-11, (this of course is the narrative of the nativity of Jesus). 6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. 7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn. 8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. 10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And we know His name was called Jesus (which meant “God is with us,”) Emanuel, The Christ, Who became the Messiah, and the Messiah becomes The Savior! This morning, this last Sunday before Christmas, I would like to speak to you about Jesus The Savior, and would like to share with you “5 reasons why I believe we need a Savior!” I could give you 10, 15. 20, but we don’t have that much time, so we’re going to give you 5 reasons why we need a Savior. Sometimes there are somethings that are beyond dispute, or criticism, for it is so clear, that it is beyond any kind of cross examination. There are just some reasons why some things are true! And the speaker or author of those things that are true, are so convincing, so right, with such authority, and credibility, that those reasons cannot be gainsaid, or challenged.
I’d like to compare this with the 5 reasons we need a Savior. I believe there are many more! They are so convincing, so true, for the Author is God in Heaven, who has witnessed them Himself! We can go through these 5 things, that should challenge us a little bit, that, “if I do not yet know the Savior (Whose birth we shortly celebrate) then this ought to start me to think, “you know, my life is moving on, and I wonder, if I need to do something, if I do not yet know this Savior?” This must be convincing. Psalm 94:17 Unless the LORD had been my help, (verse 16 ; who is going to rise up against these evildoers?) my soul had almost dwelt in silence. Who’s going to defend me, take my side, believe me? Of all who have forsaken me, then who will stand with me? At the end of the day, when I am all alone, who will take my side? Verse 16 “….who will stand up for me?…..” I don’t think of the psalmist here as complaining, etc., but as the apostle Paul’s story, of spiritual opposition in high places. That’s what I think of as wickedness in high places, ..not people. Spiritual conditions that confront us! The psalmist asked these questions because he knew the God in Heaven that resolves these complaints. 17 “Unless the LORD had been my help, (Why? Because there is no other) my soul had almost dwelt in silence.” ..the silence of death ! That is the translation of this. If the Lord had not been my help I don’t know what would have happened to me. 18 “When I said, My foot slips,” Your mercy God, holds me up!
5 Reasons why I need a Savior. 1) Because today, we have no other common denominator, that would make it easier to solve really hard problems. Because only a Savior can save us, when our foot slips in the most difficult things! Today we, the people, the country. .. needs a common denominator, that only God is! The common denominator that frames societies, helps them stay together, ..is God! When society takes that out of society, They “think” they can replace that common denominator with something else! Lately people are replacing God with protests. Not righteousness, rightness, not a common denominator, but one that fits “my” group, etc. Some say, “yes, but your denominator always leaves me out!” No, God doesn’t! The New Testament tells us that Jesus is neither Jew, nor Greek, or male, or female, (and I’ll add here, “no ethnic, cultural, or human identity”). He’s beyond these identities. He’s the supernatural identity! I realize there are some problems I need to resolve in my life, so that I need a common denominator! Otherwise my foot has slipped to destruction! Unless there was a common denominator! The Savior makes it easier to solve problems, as ..The common denominator. The world often thinks the best way for commonality is to reject God, instead of knowing Him as the solution. But God is real, the One who keeps us from slipping, the author of mercy, and of Truth! 2). Because we are in danger of destruction. Too often in today’s society we are insulated. But when we get to a place when the insulation almost wears away, we start to become vulnerable to disease, and our mortality. Then life comes in focus. But until then many times we’re insulated to some things, so we don’t think about it. We still need a Savior! If we couldn’t see that we’re subject to destruction without a Savior, this year should have proven it! And today our society is proving it out, that with the absence of God as the common denominator it reveals the destruction that humans beings are living under! “Unless the LORD had been my help.” 3) We cannot save ourselves! Unless the Lord had been my help! Many of the self helps and religions available, moral codes, etc. do not lend one to the truth, for you cannot save yourself, and need a Savior! Coexisting in acceptance of other ideologies, are not able to save you, for they are not the witness from the bible.
The Savior is the only common denominator! None are equal to the Savior. Otherwise, Jesus would not have needed to suffer, and executed to die on the cross. Jesus needed to die because we need a Savior! Unless Jesus sacrificed Himself as the Lamb of God, we all would perish! 4) The problem of sin. There is a nature inherent originally in each of us, to worship the creature more than the Creator. It’s how each of us were born. With the thought that some have better morals? If morality saved us, Jesus didn’t need to die! We have a greater need than a simple moral code. We need a fellowship with God and certainly not with the throne of iniquity,( verse 20). Although most understand being a sinner as a bad thing, few make that connection ..to destruction. The Lord tells us sin leads to destruction! And we can’t lift ourselves out of that by our own devices, so we need a Savior! Sin as the problem requires a Savior! A sinner needs to come to a growing interest and understanding, in knowing Christ in a personal relationship! A sinner needs to ask for a Savior! 5) He lifts us higher than we can lift ourselves. “Unless the LORD had been my help.” We aren’t able to lift ourselves from sin the first time, and also always still would need it again! Life presents problems and in those moments we need a Savior, that can lift us higher than we can lift ourselves! “Who will rise up for me against the evildoers? or who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity?” It is incomprehensive that humanity can raise itself higher than itself!
Five Reasons We Need A Savior