Fri.3.6.15...Super Psalms- Ps.22- Messianic

What is the focus of your life? "It's about me!" the world believes. No wonder there are so many wrecked lives. (It's like a person wrecking his car because he was focused on looking at himself in the make up mirror.) The focus is to be on Jesus our Messiah! So yesterday we began looking at messianic psalms. Both Ps.2 and 110 prophesy of the second coming of our Messiah, who will conquer his enemies. Until then we fight to advance his spiritual kingdom. The people of Jesus’ day were so longing for their mighty Messiah to come and liberate them from their Roman occupiers, that they skipped right over the other messianic passages that spoke of Messiah coming as a suffering servant. Thus, they rejected the humble, servant of the Lord as a blasphemous imposter and crucified him. Yet, even in so doing, they helped to fulfill many messianic prophecies. Several of those are scattered throughout the psalms. But one is loaded with prophecies about our suffering Savior. Do you know which one it is? It’s so important to know, for it clearly reveals Jesus as the predicted suffering Savior. It’s Psalm 22. Read now v.1-21 on Christ's crucifixion. (If you have time, feel free to read v.22-31 on Christ's glorification.)  

David is the author, but we soon realize that he was speaking well beyond any terrible experience he himself ever had. This passage may remind you of the other great messianic passage we’ve looked at before found in Isaiah 53. Remember those two- Psalm 22 and Isaiah 53. These are crucial passages to show someone wanting evidence that the Bible is from God and that Christ is our promised Savior. Isaiah lived 700 years before the birth of Christ and David 1,000 years. That was hundreds of years before anyone in Israel was ever crucified, yet these passages prophesy of such- "they have pierced my hands and my feet." Ps.22:16. No other religious book in all the world has fulfilled prophecies in them. Yet the Bible has hundreds of them. Yes, the Bible is from God!

This brings us to a very BIG (Bible Interpretation Guideline) point, which you already know- Though the Bible was written by imperfect men, it was guided by our perfect God, making it perfect. “The law of the Lord is perfect” Ps.19:7. “All Scripture is God breathed” 2 Tim.3:16. “Men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” 2 Pet.2:21. God superintended the writing, using the differing personalities of the writers. That’s why John, a simple fisherman, liked using small words, whereas highly educated Paul, liked using big words. The words they originally wrote down were perfect. (Occasionally, there may be some debate about a copyist error of certain words, but none such affects any beliefs or behaviors of the faith.) So here’s a BIG related point- Since the Bible is God’s perfect word, if you think you’ve found an error in the Bible, it’s your error, not God’s! Many people think they’ve found a contradiction, when it may only be a contrasting statement, not a contradictory statement (see Prov.26:4-5). And certainly there are differences between the Old Covenant laws and the New covenant ones. 

Remember, balance Scripture with Scripture because God doesn’t tell us all there is to know on one subject all in one place. So another BIG point – “Humbly accept the word” Ja.1:21. We don’t stand in judgment on it, it stands in judgment on us. “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword…it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” Heb.4:12. I read just yesterday about a man who graduated from Moody and Wheaton, but now writes as a critic of the Bible. He needs to watch Sunday's video and remember how small he is to judge the words of the Creator of the universe! God will judge him!

Psalm 22 powerfully reminds us of what our Savior went through to rescue us. His Father didn’t rescue him from the cross, so that He could rescue us through the cross. What did Jesus’ death on the cross accomplish for you? He did so much more than spare you from hell. The last half of Psalm 22 is a celebration of Christ’s victory through the cross. Here’s just a few things for which you can P.R.A.I.S.E. him-

Purchased by his blood!

Redeemed you!

Access to the holy King of the universe!

Inheritance is now secured!

Seated with Christ in the heavenlies!

Eternal life is yours!

1.-Based on the above, write a sentence or two of praise and thanks to Jesus our Messiah for what he did through his suffering and death on the cross for you.

2.-Take one of the PRAISE phrases above and copy it down on your MP3 card. Enjoy praising him today for his great love for you and seek to share such with others. Also write down Ps.22 and Is.53 to remind you where to find the 2 great messianic prophecies of the OT.

G. How many individuals or groups did you get to share and enrich from your MP3 card?

R?

E? Did you Encourage a teammate since yesterday?

A? Attacked in warfare prayer? O Lord give us Power HOUSE men to train and battle with us to forcefully advance your kingdom.

T? Feel free to also share outreach opportunities you had, or you can just put up numbers.

Announcements
Did you enjoy this past Sunday's out of this world video? Simply post a comment regarding that GDP there.

Several of you are going to the Men's Encounter Retreat. May the Lord not only minister to you, but give you rich opportunities to reach out to others.  

Saturday is Roger's Birthday! Happy Birthday Roger! 

High Fives to several of you! Highest honors to Sam, Jack and Eddie!

1 Tim.4:15	G=God's Word	G MP3 sharing	Right Wrongs	Encouragement	A= Attack Prayers	T	Totals
	For Wed..3.4.15
Alpha Force
Fire Team 1
Jack Rogers U.3	1	4	1	6	1	1	14
Roger Vinlasaca U.3	1	2		1	1	1	6
Fire Team 2							0
Mike Pagan U.3	1	1		1	1	1	5
George Rabiela U.1	1	3		2	1	1	8
Fire Team 3							0
Sam Vargas U.3	1	3		3	1	4	12
Gary Remson U.3	1	2		2	1		6
Fire Team 4							0
Robert Roman U.2	1	3		2	1		7
Vince Diaz U.2	1	1		6	1		9
							0
Delta Force							0%
Fire Team 1							0
Alvin James U.2	1	1		1	1		4
Kentrayle Adams U.1	1		1	1	1		4
Fire Team 2							0
Dave Heidekruger U.3	1	1		1	1		4
Israel Fuentes U.3	1	3		2	1		7
Fire Team 3							0
Daniel Contreras U.2	1	1	1	3	1		7
Antonio Palomar	1	2		1	1		5
Fire Team 4							0
Eddie Morales U.3	1	5		7	1	1	15
Ismael Andrade U.2	1	1	1	3	1		7

Here’s a summary of our BIG Bible Interpreting Guidelines we've discovered so far-

Ask questions!

Give careful consideration to what you read.  

The purpose of rightly interpreting the Bible is to rightly obey it.

The Bible is the best interpreter of itself. So compare scripture with Scripture.

Being prayerful is commendable but it is not a dependable replacement for the careful study of Scripture.

It’s imperative that we know what kind of literature we are reading to interpret it and apply it correctly.

Knowing the background to what we are reading helps us better understand the passage. Commentaries and online resources can help us with such.

Knowing the mood of the author helps you better understand his message.

The apostles often quoted the OT from the Greek version of it called the Septuagint; thus don't be surprised that it doesn't line up exactly with our OT translated from the Hebrew. Plus,they paraphrased at times, all under the inspiration of God.

Since the Bible is God’s perfect word, if you think you’ve found an error in the Bible, it’s your error, not God’s! Many people think they’ve found a contradiction, when it may only be a contrasting statement, not a contradictory statement.

“Humbly accept the word” We don’t stand in judgment on it, it stands in judgment on us.