If you'd like to follow along
I'm gonna be in Psalms 5 the 5th Psalm And I'm gonna read yeah verses
11 and 12 last two verses But let all those that put their
trust in thee rejoice Let them ever shout for joy because
thou defendest them. Let them also that love thy name
be joyful in thee. For thou, Lord, wilt bless the
righteous. With favor wilt thou compass
him as with a shield. I got a quote here from John
Newton, it's very short, but it's very good. The best advice
I can give you, look unto Jesus, beholding his beauty in the written
word. That's true. That's the best
advice, look unto Jesus. Matter of fact, we got a scripture
to tell you what to say. we would see Jesus. I like that. But verse 11 of Psalms 5, but
let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice. Let them
ever shout for joy because thou defendest them. That's my title,
Paul, our defender, our defender. But the way this, Two scriptures
start out is with rejoicing. Those that trust God, rejoice. Rejoice. Rejoice in His name. Rejoice in His power. Rejoice
in His grace. Rejoice in His mercy. Oh my. Rejoice in His word. Rejoice
in His redemption. Rejoice in His sacrifice and
offering. Rejoice in His salvation. His salvation. Oh, I like that. Rejoice in His forgiveness, His
reconciliation, and rejoice in His glory. God is glorified in
the salvation of sinners. Now, God is glorious even without
the salvation of sinners. But he says he gets glory from
the salvation of his people. We're rejoicing that, rejoicing
all of it. Why? Because believers trust
in him. Believers trust him. You know why? He gives it to
us to trust him. He gives it to us to trust him.
Oh, that's something to rejoice in. The life he gives is eternal,
okay? His salvation that he gives is
eternal. Oh, rejoice. And I, to be honest, folks, I
believe I'm somewhat lacking in that department. You know, it's not something
I'm proud of, but I do try to recognize the fact. Sometimes
I go around hang dog looking. Looking like I'm depressed. And I don't even have Earl's
excuse. That's just the way he looks. I still remember that first day
when Debbie saw Earl was preaching at Mabscot. And she looked at
me and she said, I don't think he likes me. And I told her,
I said, no, he just looks like that. And he did until he smiled. But
you don't, we have so much to rejoice in. We that what, know
him. The world's got nothing to rejoice
in, and by golly, they're out celebrating. That's the wildest
thing. People think you're crazy for
being happy in Jesus Christ and go out and make a fool of themselves
at a football game. Or cry big crocodile tears and
real tears when their football team loses. No, here's the thing. It's okay
to rejoice. I like that Walter, I'm gonna
use that some more. It's okay to shout for joy. We're told to. It's okay because it's good to
rejoice in Christ Jesus. He is our Lord and our Savior
and our wisdom and sanctification and redemption, our justification,
Oh my, it's okay to rejoice in the salvation of Jesus Christ. Because not only is it eternal,
it's perfect. His salvation is perfect. Oh
my, he gives us his righteousness. Oh, I like that. But here it
tells us specifically Let all those who put their trust in
thee rejoice, let them ever shout for joy, because, right here,
I'm gonna tell you why, in this particular case, because thou
defendest them. And that hit me when I read this
the other day. Because thou defendest them.
And I looked it up, you know what it means? It says it means
entwined about. Like a screen, you know, woven
together. Entwined about as a screen, thou
hast hedged me about. Oh my, what's that mean? He has
shut us up. He has enclosed us. Jesus Christ
has fenced us in. And what are we supposed to do
because of that? Rejoice. You understand, being hedged
about, being fenced in, being shut up in him is good. It's good, oh my. And let's understand,
the nice thing about a fence is not only it keeps you safe
in, but it keeps some people out. Oh, what, you guys are exclusionary? No, God is. I'm not, I don't know. We'll
let anybody come in here. Now some people, it might turn
out, that they will remove themselves. It's been, it's happened once
or twice. But here's the thing. God's fence
works. He defendeth us. He defends us. Oh, I like that. And you understand,
defend us, that's the same way saying defends It's present tense. It's not, he defended us in the
past. No, he's defending us right now. And guess what's gonna happen
tomorrow? He's gonna defend you. What's gonna happen the day after
that? He's gonna defend you. Oh, I like that, I do. You don't
understand, let's be clear. This is not because we are so
good. Oh no, well, matter of fact,
let's look at it. Hosea, let me see, chapter two. I remember when Walter preached
about this a while back. Verses five to eight. Now this is not exactly the nicest
scripture reading in the world, but it's true. For their mother
hath played the harlot. She that conceived them hath
done shamefully, for she said, I will go after my lovers that
give me my bread, and my water, my wool, and my flax, mine oil,
and my drink. That's verse five of Hosea chapter
two. Now listen to this. Therefore,
behold, I will hedge up thy way, and watch it, with thorns. You
understand? You, as a believer, are not to
want to mess with that fence. I'll hedge up thy way with thorns
and make a wall that she shall not find her pass. And she shall
follow after her lovers, but she shall not overtake them.
And she shall seek them, but shall not find them. Then shall
she say, I will go and return to my first husband, for then
was it better with me than now. For she did not know, and here's
the beauty of it, she did not know that I gave her corn and
wine and oil and multiplied her silver and gold which they prepared
for Baal. You understand? She was given credit to her lovers
instead of her husband. But he was the one that gave
it to her all along. I'm gonna tell you something
you can give credit where you want, but it's God that gives
the increase Deb and I were talking about this and I looked it up
online You ever watch the movie Shenandoah old Jimmy Stewart
movie Okay Well, he says a prayer at Thanksgiving or before a meal
anyway, and this is what Jimmy Stewart prayed Lord We cleared
this land, we plowed it, sowed it, and harvested it. We cooked
the harvest, it wouldn't be here, we wouldn't be eating it if we
hadn't done it all ourselves. We worked dog bone hard for every
crumb and morsel, but we thank you just the same anyway. Lord,
we thank you anyway for the food we're about to eat. I'll tell
you something, folks, that is a religious prayer. That's exactly
what it is. Now, they may not be that blatant
about it a lot of times, and I'm sure that's the exaggeration,
especially with the tone Jimmy Stewart used in that prayer.
I've seen the movie, because I remember watching it. But that's
the prayer of religious people today. You understand, if you're
not healed, it's because your faith ain't strong enough. If your children aren't saved,
it's because you're not praying hard enough. No. I'm gonna tell you something.
It takes the Lord to defend us and defense us in and to hedge
us about. I'm gonna tell you something.
That's what most secular people think of prayer. They think it's
foolishness. They think it's superstition. Listen, the scripture tells us
there are those that know God, but they honor him not as God. That's what people do. It's what
we used to do. Oh my. The believer knows it's
God. And the believer knows that it
is God that gives the increase. Yes, you may plow. You may sow. You're gonna have to reap. But
you understand, God causes the rain to fall on the just and
the unjust alike. And God will withhold the rain.
And you can plow and sow and weed eat and everything else
as hard as you want. If God doesn't send the rain,
you're not gonna have any crops. And there's not a thing you can
do about it, but anyway. God always gives the increase. And believers know it. Unbelievers
do not know it. And I'm gonna say it. Thank God
for defending his people when we don't know it. When we don't
know it. You understand, he was defending
around Hosea's wife. She didn't know. She didn't love
her husband. But he was already defending
her. Oh, I like that I do. Matter of fact, let's look at
Psalms 106. Psalms 106, verse four. I like this. Remember me, O Lord,
with the favor that thou bearest unto thy people. Here, oh visit
me with thy salvation. What? That I may see the good
of thy chosen, that I may rejoice in the gladness of thy nation,
that I may glory with thine inheritance. Here, we have sinned, we have
sinned. We have sinned with our fathers,
just like them. We have committed iniquity. We
have done wickedly. Our fathers understood not thy
wonders in Egypt. They remembered not the multitude
of thy mercies, but provoked him at the sea, even at the Red
Sea. Oh, but here's that word I like
so much, nevertheless. Nevertheless, he saved them for
his namesake, that he might make known his mighty power, might
make his mighty power to be known. Oh, I like that, folks, I do.
Oh, visit me with thy salvation. You see, that's the salvation
I need. I can't give you salvation. You
can't give me salvation. Oh, but God's salvation, he can
give that. And I'm gonna tell you something,
folks. That's salvation. It's God's salvation, thy salvation. Oh, my. And we done wickedly,
we sin, we've got iniquities. We provoked him. People provoke
God. But I'm gonna tell you something.
He still saves his people. from their sins, from their sins,
from their sins, oh my. But here's the thing, not for
your sake, but for his sake. Not for your glory, for his glory. Oh my, I like that. He saved
them, he redeemed them. Still one of my favorite scriptures.
Paul quoted it in Romans, but Isaiah said it in Isaiah 65 one. It says, I am sought of them
that ask not for me. What? I am found of them that
sought me not. You understand? That's the way
I found God. I know people say that. I found
God. No, no, no. He found you. If you're found,
it's because he found you. I am sought of them that ask
not for me. I am found of them that sought
me not. I said behold me, behold me unto a nation that was not
called by my name. That's exactly backwards of religion
today. Oh my. What am I saying? I'm saying Jesus Christ is our
defender. Excuse me. Even when we didn't know him. Even when we didn't know him. Oh, I like that. Matter of fact,
let's just, I'll throw this in. Hebrews 1 and 13 and 14 says,
but to which of his angels said he at any time, sit on my right
hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool? God didn't. Christ
is at his right hand. But here, he talks about angels.
Are they not all ministering spirits? Sent forth to minister for them
who shall be heirs of salvation. Well, right now, folks. If you're
a believer, right now, you are an heir of God and a joint heir
of Jesus Christ. Right now. We have the adoption
of sons right now. So it says, angels were sent
forth to minister for them who shall be the heirs of salvation. What's that mean? Jesus Christ
is defending us before we knew him, yeah. My times are in thy
hands, okay? That took place long before you
knew your times were in his hands. Oh, I like that. He's our defender
before we ever knew him. And now, right now, he is our
glorious intercessor. Our intercessor. Jesus Christ
intercedes on our behalf. on our behalf, oh. Wherefore he is able also to
save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing
he ever liveth to make intercession for them. I'm gonna tell you something,
he's the way, the truth, and the life, and no man comes to God except
by him. but all them that come unto God
by him, he's making intercession for them right now. He defends us. He's our defender. He's our intercessor. He's our
interceder, if that's a word. He intercedes for us. Okay? And the really good thing about
this, we have an advocate. I like that,
an advocate with the Father. Jesus Christ, the righteous. Jesus Christ, the holy. Jesus
Christ, the one and only. He's our advocate with the Father.
Now, here's the other thing. He's the judge. The Father has
committed all judgment unto the Son. So listen folks, if you
know Christ, if you trust him, he's your advocate and he's your
judge. I like that, I like that. And
he knows exactly how righteous you are in him, in him. Oh, I like that. I have a good
feeling about that trial. If he's my advocate and he's
the judge, I got a good feeling about my chances. No, it's not
a thing of chance, it's a thing of grace. It's grace, oh my,
we have a defender, Jesus Christ the righteous. We sing that song,
oh worship the king all glorious above. Oh, gratefully sing his
power and his love. Our shield and defender. What? The ancient of days. Pavilioned in splendor and girded
with praise. Robert Grant wrote that, and
I really do like that song. Because he is our shield and
defender. And he's the ancient of days. He's the eternal son. And he's our defender. Oh, what? Past. present and future And
it comes to me. I'm gonna raise him up at the
last day. Oh my oh My what's it say verse
12 for thou Lord will bless the righteous with favor With favor
wilt thou compass him as with a shield. Oh Okay The only righteousness
we have is in him but he's our defender and he's given us his
righteousness. His righteousness imputed and
his righteousness imparted. He's given to his people. He's
given us the garments of salvation and the robe of righteousness.
Oh my. That's favor. That's grace. That's favor. Matter of fact,
look at verse eight of, let me go back. Psalms chapter five. Lead me, O Lord. What? In thy
righteousness. In thy righteousness. Because
of mine enemies makes thy way straight before my face. Oh my, I like that. He is our
righteousness. And he gives us his righteousness. Mm. We are blessed with favor, wilt
thou compass him. The free favor, the love and
grace in Christ Jesus, because with grace, God compasses us
about, surrounds us, hedges us about. His elect, like a shield,
it says. And in grace, God's people are
safe. Chosen in him, defended by him,
called out by him. by grace, surrounded by his love,
his wisdom, his power, and his strength, because he is our shield,
he is our fortress, he is our rock, and he is our defender. You understand? We're kept by the power of God
through faith unto salvation. Why? He's our defender. He's
our defender. A lot of people like to say,
God's on my side. No, no, I'm on his. I'm on Christ's
side. Matter of fact, I'm in his side.
In him, in him, we move and have our being. Oh my. Rejoice, folks. Our defender
is the ancient of days. the eternal son, the king of
kings, Jesus Christ is our defender, and he is our defense. Oh my, and he is bringing in,
bringing many sons, what? Unto glory, unto glory, and keeping
his people until glory. We've got the perfect defender.
We have the perfect defender. And by him, we have the perfect
defense. But here it is. For if when we
were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his son,
much more being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. Saved by his life. Let your conversation be without
covetousness, and be content with such things as ye have,
for he has said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. That's good, that's good. He
defends his people. He's our defender, he's our defender. There is no better one. and he's
the only one. Oh, I like that, I do. For thou,
Lord, will bless the righteous with favor, will compass him
as with a shield. We're surrounded. Your life is in Christ, hid in
Christ, in God. Nobody's plucking anybody out
of Jesus Christ's hand. And Jesus Christ said, nobody
at all ever plucked anybody out of my father's hand. He's got
us. He's our shield. He's our defender. And he compasses about. Our heavenly
father, we're thankful for this time, this place. Lord, thank
you for your salvation. Thank you for your son. whom
you sent to save his people from their sins, and he has, and he
is, and he ever shall. Lord, we don't deserve any of
it. We've never earned a thing except
the wages of sin, but you have forgiven us in Christ, through
his blood shed, and his righteousness given, We have everything in
Him. Be with Paul and Walter as they
come to preach your gospel. And Lord, help us to walk in
your way and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus
Christ. Amen.