Questions In the Dark
Audio Recording
Sermon Outline
Speaker: Rev. Scott Strickman
Sermon Series: Psalm 77 - With God in the Dark
Psalm 77 (ESV)
To the choirmaster: according to Jeduthun. A Psalm of Asaph.
1 I cry aloud to God,
aloud to God, and he will hear me.
2 In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord;
in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying;
my soul refuses to be comforted.
3 When I remember God, I moan;
when I meditate, my spirit faints. Selah
4 You hold my eyelids open;
I am so troubled that I cannot speak.
5 I consider the days of old,
the years long ago.
6 I said, “Let me remember my song in the night;
let me meditate in my heart.”
Then my spirit made a diligent search:
7 “Will the Lord spurn forever,
and never again be favorable?
8 Has his steadfast love forever ceased?
Are his promises at an end for all time?
9 Has God forgotten to be gracious?
Has he in anger shut up his compassion?” Selah
10 Then I said, “I will appeal to this,
to the years of the right hand of the Most High.
11 I will remember the deeds of the Lord;
yes, I will remember your wonders of old.
12 I will ponder all your work,
and meditate on your mighty deeds.
13 Your way, O God, is holy.
What god is great like our God?
14 You are the God who works wonders;
you have made known your might among the peoples.
15 You with your arm redeemed your people,
the children of Jacob and Joseph. Selah
16 When the waters saw you, O God,
when the waters saw you, they were afraid;
indeed, the deep trembled.
17 The clouds poured out water;
the skies gave forth thunder;
your arrows flashed on every side.
18 The crash of your thunder was in the whirlwind;
your lightnings lighted up the world;
the earth trembled and shook.
19 Your way was through the sea,
your path through the great waters;
yet your footprints were unseen.
20 You led your people like a flock
by the hand of Moses and Aaron.
Sermon Outline
Difficult periods that require adaptation and patience also expose our weakness and immaturity - we can deepen and grow while going through these periods if we stay with Jesus.
1. The Struggle of Change
v4 “You hold my eyelids open; I am so troubled that I cannot speak.”
vv5-6 “I consider the days of old… ‘Let me remember’”
2. Hard Questions
v6 “Then my spirit made a diligent search”
vv7-9 “Will the Lord… never again… forever ceased… an end for all time?” Has God forgotten…?
3. A Good Shepherd
v10 “I will appeal to… the right hand of the Most High.”
Prayer of Confession
Our good Shepherd, we have wandered and strayed. We have resisted the path of growth. We have stubbornly refused change. In our efforts to force you into our desires and understandings, we have erred in many ways. We are guilty of false accusations against you. When we have needed you most we pushed you away. Forgive every sin. We are guilty too in what we have thought of others and how we have treated them. We confess we are helpless apart from you. Forgive our unbelief. We appeal to you, asking for your continued oversight, and praying for mercy as we return to walk with you. Amen.
Questions for Reflection
What fears arise when you are in periods of change?
What assumptions do you have, or what judgements are you quick to make regarding God or what you think God is doing, when in difficult periods?
Are there certain questions you are continually asking God? Why?
What are strategies for staying with God when you don’t have answers to your questions?
How can you discern each next faithful step? What are things you can do while you can’t grasp how it all fits together to take one action at a time that is faithfully on the path of Christ?
Is there anything God is teaching you now? What is happening in your life and how can you move deeper and into greater maturity as you navigate it?
What makes Jesus the good shepherd? What do you see in Jesus or what Jesus offers that is still desirable?
How are you being called to trust God in this season? What need or limitation requires that you rest in Him and wait on Him?