Good Monday Morning (3/27/2023) –
At Redland Road yesterday morning we studied a lesson entitled If the Foundations Be Destroyed based on texts from Psalm 2 and Psalm 11. We started out by observing how discouraging and frustrating current conditions are in our nation, in the realms of politics, culture, patriotism and morality. From the first three verses of Psalm 11, we noted 4 terms that set the stage for our further discussion: Refuge (the Lord), the wicked (those who are against God), shoot in the dark (ambush), and foundations (righteousness and justice, Ps.97:2). Then we turned our attention to Psalm 2, observing 4 voices that are indicated there.
- The voice of defiance, vs.1-3. Men have been defying God since the fall in Eden, Genesis 3. It is a practice that has been going strong from Pharoah to Jezebel to modern atheists, spewing their defiance from rock-star platforms to gullible audiences.
- The voice of derision, vs.4-6. This is a voice from God as He scoffs at those who defy Him. Ps.37:13; 59:8 and Prov.1:25-31 are a few of the passages that tell us of God’s derision for all who refuse to honor Him with obedience.
- The voice of declaration, vs.7-9,comes from God as well. This has been God’s way from the start, and He declares His will to mankind, with the sovereign expectation for humble submission. God has never needed nor desired for any man to give interpretations or explanations of His plan.
- The voice of decision, vs.10-12, rounds out the discussion of this chapter. God calls upon all mankind to serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling, showing allegiance to God’s Son.
In the evening lesson, we studied part 3 of our theme for March, Connecting with our Senior Saints. We took a close look at the subject of Loneliness, which can be a frequent problem for old and young alike. Our text was 2 Timothy 4:6-17. From Paul’s words to Timothy, written shortly before Paul’s death in Rome, we learned several causes for loneliness:
- Transitions of life may sometimes trigger loneliness. Paul was aging, and was a prisoner in Rome, and he acknowledged his willingness to depart, 2 Tim.4:6-8.
- Separation of various kinds may bring on loneliness. Paul longed to see Timothy and expressed a sense of urgency in 4:9 and 4:21. We, too may go through periods of separation ranging from relocation to the loss of a mate.
- Rejection, specifically on the part of Demas, Paul’s fellow-worker (4:10) no doubt added depth to Paul’s loneliness in prison.
- Opposition from the likes of Alexander the coppersmith, 4:14-15, had made Paul’s work difficult and no doubt deepened his loneliness as he reflected back on those encounters.
We concluded our discussion by noting 4 keys for handling loneliness, from the same text in 2 Timothy 4:
- Utilize your time wisely, 2 Tim 4:13. Paul wanted his books and parchments in order to spend his time in prison reading and studying.
- Release the grudges, 4:16. Don’t harbor ill will toward those who have offended or made mistakes. Don’t exaggerate the pain, or dwell on it continually. Allow those wounds to heal.
- Recognize God’s presence and help in your life, even in your loneliness, 4:17a.
- Concern yourself with the needs of others. Paul was ever conscious of the need to help as many people as possible be able to hear the Gospel of Jesus, 4:17b.
If you missed either lesson, you can view them at http://www.rrcoc.com under the sermons tab.
by David Phillips