July 3oth's Sermon: Psalm 14 "Is there Hope for evil doers?"

Fred was driving down the street in a sweat because he had an important meeting and couldn't find a parking place. Looking up to heaven he said, Lord take pity on me. If you find me a parking place I will go to church every Sunday for the rest of my life and give up drinking."
Miraculously, a parking place appeared. Fred looked up again and said, "Never mind, I found one!"
The misuse and denial of God is part of what the scriptures are speaking to us today. David misusing his authority- or the disciples mis-identifying Jesus and misunderstanding him. The psalm we will hear from today- speaks to an intentional denial of God.
Let’s pray
Psalm 14
[Very similar to Psalm 53. A psalm for a society- not directly individual. We should keep in mind this is a song, written by David and his folks. David was far from perfect and through David we learn of God’s forgiveness. So this is a song, composed by David and his people- who got a sense of God’s rhythm of what God’s SONG was all about.]
The fool [nabal] says in his heart,"There is no God." They are corrupt, their deeds are vile;
there is no one who does good.
2 The LORD looks down from heaven on the sons of men to see if there are any who understand,
any who seek God.
3 All have turned aside,
they have together become corrupt;
there is no one who does good,
not even one.
4 Will evildoers never learn--those who devour my people as men eat bread and who do not call on the LORD?
5 There they are, overwhelmed with dread,
for God is present in the company of the righteous.
6 You evildoers frustrate the plans of the poor,
but the LORD is their refuge.
7 Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!
When the LORD restores the fortunes of his people,
let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!
(from New International Version)

Description of the fool: - What defines an evil doer?
A “nabal” is not someone who is unintelligent, but someone who is making decisions/actions based on a wrong assumption. In this case the “nabal” or “fool” is living life as if there is no God that they will be held accountable. This person, nabal or fool, is saying “in his heart” that there is no God.
Mays, a commentator wrote, Live without praying to God- instead “preying” on others=.
Not so much about atheism as a philosophy as it is about people who are living intentionally atheistically- though they may be part of a religion.
V. 5- the “nabal” does not call on God in his need- because he is confident in his own resources
A nabal- a fool believes themselves powerful and autonomous- rather than humble and dependent on God.
Plot Twist- Who are the evil doers?
v. 3 seems to imply- that we are all susceptible and at times all guilty of living as if there is no God- “all have turned aside”
Paul brings this truth into the new testament. Romans 3- Paul connects this text to Jesus Christ
“ all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” v. 5 says, “God is present in the company of the righteous”- where God is present there is righteousness. Matthew 18:20- Jesus says “When two or three come together in my name, I am there with them.”
How is one righteous?- through Jesus Christ
The big daily choice: A choice of ways to live life- it is a daily choice: Is there hope for evil doers? Yes- and the church is a place for support, direction, guidance
Yes- we all intentionally, habitually and culturally deny God- we do it by not loving others, by not taking care of God’s creation- by getting involved in systems that oppress people.
Power/autonomy vs. weakness/trust- two different ways of living
Can people change?- God can change people.
There is hope by calling on and increasing the presence of Christ in our lives.
how is Christ increased in the world? Practical examples or Righteous Christ-filled living: Ways to live less like a fool this week
By doing good for others. By realizing there are consequences for the wrong we do- and asking for forgiveness. By forgiving others who have done wrong to us. By seeing that our actions- though we may see them as small- that they are all consequential- that how much we drive, what we recycle, where we eat, what we eat, what we say, how we treat people, how we treat the earth- all of these are real actions that we should not live out as if there is no God. God likes the little things. He likes when we give others a cup of cool water or when we simply enjoy life- like a child enjoys life. When we do a good act- without being prodded or forced. When we pray for our enemy- and treat our enemy just like we treat a friend. God smiles at all of this.
We do all this and more- not because we have to do any of it- but because the presence of God with us- the knowledge beyond knowledge of God’s deep abiding love for us- compels us to be people who live life according to God’s rhythm- to God’s song.
If we have one aspiration in life- wouldn’t the best one possibly be- to be in rhythm with God. To be singing the same song as God- to be about what God is about. To live life with God present. May we seek to live a life filled with goodness that pours out of us. May we seek to see our own foolishness, the foolishness of our families, culture and churches- and see to live in God’s reality and not by our own power.
Amen