Let the Redeemed of the Lord Say So, Part 7

Welcome to Delight in Grace, the teaching ministry of Rich Powell, Pastor of Grace Bible Church in Winston-Salem. As we, the redeemed people of God, gaze on his character and work, our hearts will be drawn to thankfulness. He is just, right, good and powerful.

He uses his power and sovereignty to work for our good and for his glory. When we find ourselves prone to a complaining spirit, we must run to our Savior's feet to remember and reflect on who he is and what he's done. Let's listen to this message from Psalm 107 titled, Let the Redeemed of the Lord Say So. This is part three of a message that was first preached on November 24th, 2024 at Grace Bible Church in Winston-Salem.

To hear the entire message, you can go to www.delightingrace.com. So God stands back and as he removes his protection, in come the oppressors like the Chaldeans, Nebuchadnezzar, and they take God's people. And Israel cries out, we see the prayers, Daniel chapter 9, for example, Nehemiah chapter 9, beautiful prayers of God's people crying out to God for his restoration of his people. And because Nebuchadnezzar had the audacity to come in and oppress the people of God, God says to old Neb, since we learned about Rachshak and Benny and ABF this morning, he says, Neb, what you did to my people, that's like poking your finger in my eye.

You poke your finger in God's eye, it's not God who gets hurt. He says, these are my people. Yes, I removed my protection because they were wicked, they were evil, but they're my people. And you came in and you oppressed them. But because of that, your kingdom will be finished. That's sovereign retribution.

Here's the principle of the whole matter. God reverses oppression on the oppressor of his people. God reverses oppression on the oppressor of his people. Verse 40, where it talks about trackless wastes, that's the same word that's used in Genesis chapter 1.

It means emptiness, it means wilderness. And when Genesis 1 verse 2, it talks about without form, it's the same word, it means non-functional, barren waste. That's what their kingdoms become, these princes who would oppress God's people. Now they came in because God had removed his protection. But as was pointed out also in the ABF this morning, God in his sovereignty can use pagan kings to do his will. And he did Cyrus, that's what Isaiah chapter 45 is all about. He calls Cyrus, a pagan king, to return his people to the Promised Land. And so we get some of the most God-glorifying statements in scripture from pagan kings.

One of them was Nebuchadnezzar, another one was Cyrus. But you want to see a picture of God's sovereign retribution? Turn with me in your copy of the scriptures to 2 Thessalonians chapter 1. That's way in the New Testament. 2 Thessalonians comes after 1 Thessalonians.

Boy, that's real helpful, Rich. 2 Thessalonians chapter 1, verse 6, God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you and grant relief to you when you are afflicted as well as to us. When the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus, they will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might. God's sovereign retribution stands.

It is just, it is holy, it is good. Here's what we learn from this, and this is why the psalmist records this in Psalm 107, calling his people to give thanks to the Lord who has redeemed them. Those who wait for the Lord, those who wait for the Lord, draw comfort from seeing the justice of God.

Now hang on a second. Only those who wait for the Lord, meaning only those who have received his grace of redemption, will draw comfort from seeing the justice of God. If you have not received the forgiveness of God through Jesus Christ, then seeing, foreseeing, and anticipating the justice of God is a terrifying thing.

It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of a consuming fire. But this is why God has lavished his grace upon us. This is why God gave us his son Jesus, to take that penalty for us so that we, when we entrust ourselves to him in surrender, we get his righteousness because he's taken our sin. Then I can wait for the Lord and find comfort in his justice. Only under the grace of God. Absent the grace of God, his justice is a horrifying prospect. And I say that with no delight, but with earnestness and urgency.

Are you in Christ? The only way to be rescued from the justice of God is to be surrendered to him. He silences the noise of the ruthless power and evil, is what he says. All wickedness shuts its mouth at the justice of God. So hear now, hear the words of Jesus, the Son of God, who came to us.

Man as God, God as man. And he is the one who said, he invites you. Hear him inviting you this morning. Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden. And I will give you rest. Don't miss this next part. Take my yoke upon you.

What is that? He is calling you to surrender. You don't try, Jesus. God the Son of God did not leave his throne of glory and come to earth and be born as a baby and live a perfect life and die a sacrificial death on a cruel cross, just so you could give him a try. His demand is surrender. And when you surrender to him in faith, all, all of his righteousness becomes yours. And you become acceptable to an infinitely holy God. And he justifies you, he reconciles you, and he lavishes his pleasure and his grace upon you. That's the gospel.

The God who redeems. Take my yoke upon you and you will find rest unto your souls. The psalmist ends this psalm. Now in the fourth, we've covered three sections. Now this is the fourth section.

The fourth section is one verse, one verse. Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things. Let them consider the steadfast love of the Lord. Gratitude is a key to wisdom. Gratitude is a key to wisdom.

Let me make a point here very, very clearly, okay? Wisdom and intelligence are not the same thing. You can be a very smart person and be very unwise.

They are not the same thing. What do we mean by wisdom? Wisdom means, it can mean a lot of things. Plainly speaking, practically speaking, wisdom means a life lived well, a life lived well.

And there is a standard that defines well, and that is God's character and purpose. Wisdom is a life lived well. Gratitude is a key to wisdom. I want you to consider Proverbs chapter two, verses six through 11. The Lord gives wisdom from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. He stores up sound wisdom for the upright. He is a shield to those who walk in integrity, guarding the paths of justice and watching over the way of his saints.

Then you will understand righteousness and justice and equity and every good path. Those come from God. He is the law giver. He is the grace giver. He is the wisdom giver. And anything in our human kingdom that reflects goodness, justice, equity, every good path, all of it is a reflection of his character and his purpose. Thanks for joining us here at Delight in Grace. You've been listening to Rich Powell, the lead pastor at Grace Bible Church in Winston-Salem. The Delight in Grace mission is to help you know that God designed you to realize your highest good and your deepest satisfaction in him, the one who is infinitely good. We hope you'll join us again on weekdays at 10 a.m.