The Names of God

If you want to grab your bible, we're going to read Psalm 27 together before Daryl comes to preach to us tonight. So Psalm 27, I'm gonna be reading from verse 1. The Lord is my light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life of whom shall I be afraid.

When the wicked advance against me to devour me, It is by enemies and my foes who will stumble and fall. Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear. Though war break out against me even then I will be confident. 1 thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek. That I may dwell in the house of the lord all the days of my life.

To gaze on the beauty of the lord and to seek him in his temple, For in the day of trouble, he will keep me safe in his dwelling. He will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent and set me high upon a rock. Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me. Addis sacred tent, I will sacrifice with shouts of joy. I will sing and make music to the lord.

Hear my voice when I call lord. Be merciful to me and answer me. My heart says of you seek his face, your face lord I will seek. Do not hide your face from me. Do not turn your servant away in anger.

You have been my helper. Do not reject me, or forsake me, God, my Savior. Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me. Teach me your way, lord. Lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors.

Do not hand me over to the desires of my foes for false witnesses rise up against me, spouting malicious accusations. I remain confident of this. I will see the goodness of the lord in the land of the living. Wait for the lord. Be strong and take heart.

And waits for the lord. Father's Daryl comes to preach to us now. We pray that you would speak through him. We thank you for the preparation. He's he's put in place, and I pray that we, as we listen, would allow your host spirit to work in us in Jesus' name, amen.

When people talk about light and darkness, they might be talking about actual light. And darkness. Physical things like day and night. Or they might be talking more poetically or spiritually. For example, in Star Wars episode 1, The Phantom Menace, Yoda says, fear is the path to the dark side.

Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate, and hate leads to suffering. So the dark side of the force in stalls involves fear, anger, hate, and suffering. So when we use words poetically, like this, light can mean life, hope, joy, goodness, wisdom, or knowledge. But darkness involves evil, death, sin, and negative emotions like fear, anger, and hate, which leads to suffering.

The dark side. And the bible uses the words in the same way that it's physical light. And there's spiritual light. And in both cases, the light always defeats the darkness. So when John says, the light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it, we know that's true in a physical sense.

When you're in a dark room, you flick a switch, and the whole room instantly fills with light. But if you're outside in the sunshine, There's no such thing as an anti torch that shines rays of darkness, is there? So the darkness can't overcome the light naturally. Sure. You can try to block out the light with shadows, you can make a lovely shade for a hot, sunny day.

But that doesn't mean that you've extinguished the sun. I should know. In lockdown, I've been trying to black out the baby's window with card. She's been trying to sleep at a normal time, but in June. And at about 8 PM, the sun is blazing through the window with all its energy.

And even though I've taped up almost every join, you only need 1 tiny gap and the entire force of the sun's power comes bursting through and lights up the whole room as if you hadn't even bothered at all. The darkness can't overcome the light, which is a good illustration, but of course when John says the light shines in the darkness. He's not talking about the physical light. Is he? It's deeper than that.

It means more. He's talking about spiritual ideas. He's talking about the Lord Jesus about God himself. So in the same way as physical light, the forces of spiritual darkness cannot overcome God himself, which is good news for all of us. In Psalm 27, David says, the Lord is my light and my salvation.

Whom shall I fear. And tonight, we're gonna be looking at Psalm 27 to see what David means by that. So with all that light and darkness in mind, let's have a look at the rest of the sun. Now, when reading any of the Psalms, it's a useful practice to consider 3 things. 1, what it meant for David or the author in its original setting.

2, what it means for Jesus as he ultimately fulfills all of scripture. And 3, what does it mean for the church to sing this Psalm in Christ today? David Jesus, Church. So firstly, Psalm 27 is of David. This Psalm shows us David's remarkable confidence in the face of fear.

In verse 1, he tells us why he's so confident. The Lord is my light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life. Of whom shall I be afraid.

There are 2 ways of saying a similar thing because the Lord is David's light salvation and the stronghold of his life, he doesn't need to be afraid of anyone. David's confidence isn't in himself. It's in God. When? Well, he gives some pretty dark examples in verses 2 and 3.

When the wicked advanced against me, to devour me, it is my enemies and my foes who will stumble and fall. Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear. Though war break out against me, Even then, I'll be confident. Now if you say all of that without verse 1, it sounds really arrogant, doesn't it? But with verse 1, it makes complete sense.

The reason David was so successful in battle was because he had the lord fighting with him. And if you knew you had the lord with you, you would be that confident, wouldn't you? If someone comes at you with a big army to have a go, you can laugh at them, can't you? Because you know that they're not gonna win. The darkness cannot overcome the Lord our light.

So David's not afraid. Of the darkest things that threaten him because the lord, his light, his salvation, his stronghold is with him. The psalm begins with confidence and it ends with confidence. It's a confidence sandwich. Verse 13.

I've remained confident of this. I will see the goodness of the lord. In the land of the living. So why is David so confident? Well, because God has promised him a kingdom that will endure forever.

And the Lord has never let him down. So David has good reason to believe God's word to him. David trusts the Lord to help him as he summarizes in verse 5. In the day of trouble, he will keep me safe in his dwelling. He will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent and set me high upon a rock.

David has a remarkable confidence in the face of his darkest fears. Secondly, David has a single hearted pure devotion to the lord. Listen to verse 4. 1 thing I ask from the Lord. This only do I seek, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the lord and to seek him in his temple.

What does David want in life? What does he put his trust in? Earfully treasure? Money, a big army, no. Plenty of kings had money in the old testament, and they hired big armies to come and fight for them, but it didn't help them.

David has a single hearted pure devotion to the lord. David is the king who understands that God alone. Is the trustworthy 1. So thirdly, when things get dark, he makes his urgent prayer to the God he trusts. Look at verse 7.

Hear my voice when I call Lord, be merciful to me and answer me. My heart says of you seek his face. Your face Lord, I will seek Do not hide your face from me. Do not turn your servant away in anger. You have been my helper.

Do not reject me or forsake me, God, my savior. Though my father and mother forsake me, the lord will receive me. Teach me your way lord. Lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors. Do not hand me over to the desire of my foes for false witnesses rise up against me.

Spouting malicious accusations. It's a great prayer. Because David is confident in the God who's never let him down. Because God has promised him these things in his Word. When things get dark, he makes his plea to the lord his light, whom he trusts completely.

And he knows that God, his stronghold, is able to save him. Now David knew what it was like to have enemies who were against him. Saw was after him. The Philistines were after him, even his own son, absalom was after him. You think our world is dark.

His world was dark, but no matter how dark it got, He wasn't alone, and he wasn't without hope. In fact, he knew that in the end, everything was going to be okay. Because God was for him. So as the king of God's people, he encourages them to wait for the lord. To be strong and take heart and wait for the lord.

So that's David's situation in the original context. Of the sun. He's confident that the darkness will not overcome. But secondly, let's think about the Lord Jesus, our light. What does this Psalm mean for Jesus as he ultimately fulfills it?

Jesus like David, is God's chosen king over his people. Jesus like David is confident that God, his father, will rescue him from his enemies. Ultimately, the darkest day was the day Jesus died on the cross. And even then, he knew that his father would rescue him even from death. Like David, he didn't fear, but he trusted in God.

He remained confident that he would see the goodness of the lord in the land of the living. He waited for the lord. And on the third day, he rose again from the dead. Jesus like David had a single hearted pure devotion to God, his father. He didn't lust after money, sex, and power.

He wanted to dwell in the house of the lord all the days of his life. He spent all night in urgent prayer to God, his father whom he trusted, and God heard his prayer. Jesus had plenty of enemies, foes, and oppresses. Force witnesses rose up against him spouting malicious accusations. Verse 12.

And when Jesus died, he cried out, my God, my God. Why have you forsaken me? His enemies thought that he was forsaken and handed over to their desires. But as how Song says, o living God, you broke the tomb in glory. Death could not hold the 1 who authored life.

His radiant light has shattered through our darkness. And in our hearts, his risen life now shines. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. But the amazing thing about Jesus in this Psalm is he's not just David. He's also the God that David trusts.

David calls the Lord, His light and His salvation. But Jesus says, I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. So you can see Jesus in this Psalm at at least 2 different levels. He's David's son, the king who prays the son and completely fulfills it.

And he's the Lord Jesus. Our light, our salvation, and the stronghold of our lives. So finally, what does it mean for the church to sing this Psalm in Christ today? Well, as the king says to his gathered people, wait for the lord. Be strong and take heart and wait for the lord.

I want to speak a word of comfort to those who are struggling and suffering and experiencing dark emotions at the moment. You can enjoy the confidence that David has in the Lord His light to save him. Remember, the light shines in the darkness. And the darkness has not overcome it. Perhaps you're a Christian trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ.

And yet you feel like you can't say some of the things in this song. Now that might be a good thing. Unless you're very unfortunate, you're not being chased by an army trying to kill you. But perhaps you wouldn't say you had a single hearted pure devotion to the lord. Sure.

You can see how that's attractive and it makes sense, but you know that we're sinful people. We're tempted by earthly treasure as well. We live in a fallen world. We fail and give in. And besides, there is a wicked enemy prowling around looking for someone to devour.

You are engaged in the spiritual battles that Christians face. Sometimes you have to fight for joy. And in a sense, that's a normal Christian experience. But this virus lockdown has been really unset for many of us. Perhaps we've discovered things about ourselves that we don't like.

And we have faith but we're struggling to make sense of it all. Perhaps David's prayer strikes a chord with you. Maybe you feel like God won't hear your voice when you call. Perhaps you think he will hide his face from you. And turn you away in anger, that he will reject you and forsake you.

Perhaps you're not that confident that he will save you. Maybe you are afraid. I wanna go straight to the darkest of all of our fears and ask, what does it mean for Jesus to be the light of the world in that darkness. To ask, how can we be confident in him in the face of that kind of fear. If that's you or if you know someone in that situation, I want to recommend a little book that John Piper has written called when the darkness will not lift.

It's a shorter version of another book called when I don't desire God. And he's written this book for Christians suffering through long seasons of darkness, despair, and spiritual depression. He explains truth about Jesus Christ that shatters through our darkness. I wish I could read you the entire book right now, but I can't, so you'll have to read it yourself. There is so much that could be said on this subject.

But in the time we have left, let me briefly summarize a couple of helpful ideas. Firstly, Piper says, getting justification confused with sanctification will kill your joy. Now there's a lot of big John Piper words in that sentence. So let me translate. Getting your forgiven accepted and righteous status before God.

Confused with your unsteady ongoing growth as a Christian will kill your joy. Here's a quote from the book. 1 of the most important foundations is learning to fight for joy like a justified sinner. This means learning to live on the rock solid truth of what happened for us when Jesus Christ died on the cross. And rose again from the dead.

It means realizing that in this life, we will always be sinful and imperfect. Therefore, in ourselves, we will always be guilty. This will prove emotionally devastating if we do not discover the reality of justification by faith. It is true that we are guilty of sin. And if we focus on ourselves, on our sin, on our performance, on our behavior.

It will be discouraging. But remember, The Lord Jesus, our light, has completely rescued us from sin and God's wrath on the cross. And he's given us his righteousness, his perfect record that we don't have in ourselves. It was Robert Murray Mc Shane, who said, for every look at yourself, take 10 looks. At Christ.

Piper says, this severs the deepest root of all our misery. He quotes the apostle Paul, to the 1 who does not work, but trusts God. Who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness. Piper says, the best news in all the world to the ungodly, who grieve under the cloud of darkness and guilt. Is the news that God by faith alone counts them as righteous because of Christ.

This is the rock where we stand when the dark clouds gather and the floods lick at our feet. Justification is by grace alone, not mixed without merit. Through faith alone, not mixed without works. On the basis of Christ alone, not mingling his righteousness with ours, to the glory of God alone. Not ours.

When you become a Christian, you come with empty hands. And then and only then do you begin to grow as a Christian? Trust, and grow. We get sad because we grow so slowly that after years of being a Christian, we're still not perfect. But we mustn't get confused.

We're accepted by God because Jesus gives us a perfect righteousness outside of ourselves. Now as dark as it is to despair of yourself in sin. If it leads you to ask God for mercy, and to put your hope in Jesus. God promises you in His Word. Whoever comes to me, I will never drive them away.

And we've got to stand on that promise. So that's the first thing. Don't get confused. If you're a Christian, if you're trusting in Jesus, you are right with God. Even though you're not perfect.

And if you're not a Christian, You can have that hope tonight by asking God for mercy and putting your trust in Jesus. But secondly, as you grow, faith rises and falls, but your assurance doesn't need to. Jesus says a mustard seed of faith is enough. When your faith is weak, Remember, it was God's idea to save you, not your own. So he is the source of your faith and he will finish the job.

Paul says, in Philipp, he who began a good work in you. Will carry it on to completion. Now we sing a song at Cornerstone that says, When I fear my faith will fail, Christ will hold me fast. When the tempter would prevail, he will hold me fast. I could never keep my hold through life's fearful path.

For my love is often cold, he must hold me fast. Now, there's so much more that we could say about this subject, but let me put the book away for now. Remember, we're accepted by God and forgiven and made righteous first when we trust in Jesus. And then we grow in godliness later. And when I fear my faith will fail, Christ will hold me fast.

Do you see? The light of the gospel shatters through our darkest moments. In Psalm 27, we see that David's confidence comes from the promises of God. And so we can be confident in the promises of God too. The Lord Jesus is the light of the world.

And our salvation. Whom then, shall we fear. As we sing this Psalm today, as the people of God in Christ. We're confident of our final rescue. As we grow in our faith, We purify our devotion to Him.

We become more and more like Jesus. So Christian, remain confident of this. You will see the goodness of the lord. In the land of the living. Wait for the lord.

Be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. In Jesus' name, amen,