Matt Hagee - Repairing The Divide
If you brought your Bibles, turn them to the 107th Psalm. Today we'll begin at the first verse and look at several of the verses that are found in this Psalm, as we conclude the sermon series "The great divide". We've been discussing the difference between where we are and where we should be, and the distance between the two. This week, we're going to discuss "Repairing the divide".
It's one thing to simply point to a problem. And it's easy in the world we live in to find a problem to point to. I mean, said simply, the world that we're in is on fire, and we're a part of a volunteer fire department without a hose. It's easy to find things that are wrong when truth has become a lie and a lie has become a truth. But today, rather than talk about what's wrong, let's talk about how to get it right. What can we do about it? How can you be a part of the solution? What can we do to rebuild and repair this divide? I'm so glad you asked.
Psalm 107:1 and 2 tells us very clearly. If you found that verse, say, amen. Read with me. "Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! For his mercy endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he has redeemed from the hand of the enemy". Continue reading at verse 20. It says, "He sent his word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions. Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! Let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing".
Heavenly Father, today we, who stand in this sanctuary that have been redeemed by your mighty hand, are here to give you the sacrifice of thanksgiving, to give you the glory, to give you the honor, because you are great and greatly to be praised. In this dark world, let the light of your truth shine brighter than ever before: that we might see your hand of power move in this generation. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
You may be seated. Something's wrong with the world, and we've got to do something about it. But what knows what to do? This chapter in the Bible tells us very clearly that we have the cure. It says in verse 20, "He sent his word and he healed them". The Bible tells us that our God is the same yesterday, today, and forever: that he is the Lord, he changes not. In the Old Testament, he sent his word through his prophets. And his word was sent to his people so that he could cure them of the ill and the destruction that they were headed towards. We've so twisted the truth of God's word and its purpose in our life: that when we hear it, we say, "Well, that's just a judgmental, Old Testament God". No, it wasn't a judgmental God: it was a God of wisdom and mercy and grace, telling his people, stop before you hurt yourself.
Then in the New Testament in the gospels, we find out that he didn't send his word through a prophet: he sent his word wrapped in the flesh of a rabbi from Nazareth, Jesus Christ, his only begotten son. For John tells us in John 1, "He sent his word and the word became flesh, and it dwelt among us". Jesus Christ, the Word of God, was here on the earth. And what did he come to do? Not to condemn the world, but that through him, the world might be saved. And then when Jesus dies our death and he rises from the dead, he tells those who follow him this: "You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you: and you shall be my witnesses".
So we're not looking for a prophet to bring us a word. We're not looking for a rabbi named Jesus to walk in here with the word. Guess what? We have the word in us. So when we're trying to figure out what in the world we can do about the problems that we face, you need to realize you possess the cure. And the good news about this cure is that it is 100% effective. There isn't anyone who can say that they've ever applied the truth of God's word and it failed them. This cure conquers darkness. This cure conquers death. This cure conquers sickness. This cure causes powers and principalities to flee. This cure can heal you of your yesterdays, because it says, "All things are made new".
If you're sick in your physical body, this cure can bring healing, because by his stripes we're healed. If you're in need of provision, this cure can open up the windows of heaven and pour down upon you blessings that you cannot contain. No matter what you're facing today, the Bible says, "He sent his word... And he delivered them from their destructions". This is the answer that the world has been looking for, and this answer has never failed! So what's the problem? The problem is, is the people who possess the cure are not applying it. I think it's truly tragic that we live in a world that is so willing to share the good advice that they have even when we don't want it. Social media has turned the volume up on this like crazy. People get a new beauty product, and they take pictures of themselves.
I don't know what it is about eyeliner that makes your lips do that. But they freely and willingly promote anything they think that works. And they're so proud of it. Been doing this for five minutes and feel five years younger. Here's what you need to know: the only thing that you really have that you can share with somebody else that will really work is the truth about Jesus Christ. And this is why this Psalm starts this way: "Let the redeemed of the Lord say so". Say that with me. "Let the redeemed of the Lord say so". We're willing to say so about everything else. Why won't we say so about Jesus? We're willing to say so about the cars we like to drive, about the clothes we like to wear, about the places we want to go eat, about the things that we enjoy doing.
We'll tell anybody and everybody exactly how, and where, and when we bought it, and when we ordered it, and how long it took to get here, and what we use it for, and what we do with it. We'll show pictures of air fryers in our home and the meals we cook that nobody's enjoying, because we've got no problem saying so. But then when it comes to the redemptive grace and mercy of God in our lives, we get silent. Why? "Let the redeemed of the Lord say so". And I love the way the Psalmist pens the words. "Let the redeemed of the Lord..." It's a reminder, and it's one that we should keep in our thoughts. "Redeemed" means that you weren't always this perfect.
And sometimes we should be reminded of that. Because people come to church for about 30 days, and they feel like they've stepped into some super sanctum. No. The Bible says that while we were yet sinners, he loved us. He knew the absolute worst about you, and he loved you still. He loved you enough that in spite of your wretched past, he was willing to redeem you. What you need to remember is who you were without him and who you are now because of him. Verse 14 in Psalm 107, it says, "He broke their chains into pieces". Say that with me. "He broke their chains into pieces".
I love that picture, because typically when you want to break a chain, when you want to destroy its ability to bind, you simply just cut one link because that's all it takes. We often tell people that a chain is only as strong as its weakest, what? Well, when God breaks chains, he doesn't break a link: he breaks it into pieces. He takes every link and he destroys it, so that it has no power to have any kind of hold on your life any longer. This is what the Bible says, "Whom the son sets free is free indeed".
So what I want to know this morning: is there anyone in here who has been redeemed enough that they would like to just say so? They would like to tell somebody that when I was in trouble, Jesus found me. When I was lost, he made a way for me. When I spoke his name, he showed up, and he answered my prayer. When I was sick, he healed me. When I was tormented, he calmed the storm. When my heart was broken, he put it back together. I've spoken the name that is above every name, and I know that he is the living God who sets captives free! I've been in trouble, and he brought me out of trouble. I've been in need, and he met my need. I've been sick, and he healed me. I've been bound, and he delivered me. I don't know about you, but a God like that deserves some praise!
"Let the redeemed of the Lord", do what? And so immediately people start to say, "Well, how do I do that? I mean I'm not a pastor. I didn't go to seminary. I don't know how to build those sermons and do the things like I see in church". Read the chapter. It says, "Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. For his mercy endures forever". Give thanks to the Lord, "For he satisfies the longing soul, and he fills the hungry with goodness". Oh, give thanks to the Lord. "He's broken the gates of bronze, and he's cut the bars of iron in two. Oh, give thanks to the Lord with the sacrifice of thanksgiving". That means your material possessions. Give thanks to the Lord in the assembly of people. That means that whenever you get in a room full of folks, you want somebody in the room to know you love Jesus.
So how does that sound? Simple. Just learn these words: "God did it". Say that with me. God did it. How did you get where you are today? How do you have peace of mind? How are you going to heaven? How do you have provision? Just learn to tell people. Anything that they appreciate about you, you don't have to appreciate me: God did that, because when I didn't deserve it, God was good to me. When I didn't deserve mercy, God poured it out on me. When satan had a hold of me, God pulled me out of his hand. He wrapped me in his loving arms. When I was lost, God did it. He sent someone to find me. When I had no place to go, God did it. He gave me houses I didn't build.
When I had no food to eat, God did it, because he gave me daily bread. When I had nothing to drink, he became water from the rock in the midst of the desert. God did it! He delivered me from my past. He delivered me from the chains of death. He delivered me from the penalty of sin. God did it! He made the crooked way straight. He moved the mountain. He calmed the storm. He made my barns overflow. He made my vats burst with new wine. When there was nothing left, he still satisfied me. When the enemy came against me, he caused them to flee. When I was in darkness, he shined on me with a glorious light. God did it! Give the Lord a handclap of praise!
He sent his word and it healed them. He gave us the cure. Who on earth would have a cure and not share it with those in need? How cruel to know the answer and not provide the solution. We've been talking about this divide. And the reason for the divide is sin. And he sent his word and it healed them. It cured them of the sin problem. The challenge that we face in the world today is not that we don't know what to do. It's just that we don't do it. Because the Bible in the New Testament in the book of James, says, "To him who knows to do right and does it not, to him it is sin". When you have the cure and you don't share the cure, keeping it to yourself by this definition is wrong. We have the answer. And it's time that we started applying it.
You see, there's a difference between knowledge and application. Jesus said that this way: he said, "Blessed is he who hears and does these sayings of mine". How many of you understand that there's a difference between hearing and doing? You ever been to the doctor? And the doctor walks in and he says, "You need to cut salt out of your diet". How many of you have heard that? And so what you do is you go on a search engine until you find somebody who says that the salt that you're taking out of your diet needs to be replaced by pink Himalayan organic sea salt. And you take the little white saltshaker that the doctor said get rid of, and you replace it with a five-foot tall pink Himalayan sea saltshaker. Because you heard what he said, and you want to do what the doctor says, so you found a way to put more salt in your diet. It's just a different color than the salt you were eating. Anybody understand what I'm talking about?
It's the very same thing that happens every Sunday when we come to church and we get to hear the word. And then we walk out into the world, and we go, "I just don't know what we're going to do". Well, the problem is, is we are hearing but we're not doing. And if we're going to repair this divide, we've got to just stop hearing the word, and we've got to start doing the word. Jesus said it this way, "Blessed is he who hears and does these sayings of mine: for he shall be like a man who dug down deep and built his house upon the rock". We know the parable. This man hears the word, and he does the word, and he digs down deep. The Bible tells us very clearly that fools make a mock of sin.
So when you start to do the Word of God, people are going to start to mock you. When they mock you, be the redeemed that say so. Be thankful unto him and bless his name. Don't start a fight. Don't argue with them. Don't point your finger in their face and tell them how fast they're going to hell. Just give God thanks. When they make fun of you for praying, you just keep right on praying. When they ask you why you give, you say, "Because I'm giving back to the one who gave me everything". They want to know why you're happy all the time. "The joy of the Lord is my strength". They want to know why you don't get stressed. "He'll keep them in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee". They want to know why you're thankful. Because the Bible says, "Be thankful unto him, and bless his name".
If you're not this thankful, what are you going to do? Complain like them? How many people do you know spend a lot more time and energy complaining about problems they don't have than they are thankful about the things that God has done? It amazes me how many people ruin a perfectly good day, whining about stuff that's not even a problem. "You know what they said, you know how they did, you know... Waa, waa, waa, waa"! Shame on you. You've got feet that work. If you don't like what they said, walk away. It's a free country. You can go where you want to go. You don't have to stay here. Be thankful unto him. Dig down deep. Hear the word and do the word. Why? Because Jesus also said this: he said, "The one who digs down deep and builds his house upon the rock, he's like the wise man".
And the one who doesn't, he's on the sand. And in this parable, Jesus very clearly says, "And when the storm came". Say that with me. "And when the storm came". There was no "If". It was a matter of fact. In both lives, in both houses, for both individuals, the righteous and the unrighteous, the wise and the wicked, the storm came. Don't let anybody ever fill your head with the idea that when with you follow Jesus, the storm clouds go away. If you breathe, you're headed for trouble. It's not that you get to avoid trouble: it's who goes through the trouble with you. And if your life is built upon his word, and if you've heard and done what he said, when the storm comes, your house stands. As he endures, you endure. As he is strong, you're strong. As he is unfailing, your life is unfailing. As he is unshakable, your life is unshakable! But you have to hear it and you have to do it.
So how do we repair this divide? We can't just point at the problem any longer. We have to be willing to take what God has done in our lives and be so thankful for it: that everyone around us knows who we are, what we're about, and why: that they would say, "That person believes in Jesus. And the Jesus they believe in saved their soul, delivered their family, healed their marriage, blessed their home, blessed their business, healed their physical body". Well, how would they know all that? You've got to tell them. This is not one of those services where you hear the word, and you get to go out and say, "Well, I wonder what he wants us to do".
We're no longer going to be a church that talks about praying: we're going to be a church that's praying. You have to hear it and what? Do it. We're not going to be a church that thinks about giving. People say, "Well what does the Bible say about giving"? Give. "Well, how do you even read the Bible"? Well, you just pick it up and read it. Top to bottom, right to left. "But w-w-w-what about this witnessing thing"? Be thankful unto him. Testify of his goodness in your life, and see if others don't want to taste and see what a satisfying God you serve. But if we're going to heal this divide, we can't look to a campaign promise, we can't look to a political party, we can't decide that some administration coalition or group of people are going to come out of some think tank somewhere and tell us which way to go. We know which way to go. We need to go right back to the one who gave us all that we have. And be amongst the redeemed that say so.
I want to ask you to stand in the presence of the Lord. What we're going to do for just a moment here in this sanctuary is we're going to be the redeemed of the Lord that say so. I think there's a debt of gratitude that we owe to God. And I bet you there's a few folks in here that probably haven't given him as much thanks and praise as he's worthy of. Thank God for his mercy. Thank God for his grace. Thank God for his provision. Thank God for his redemption. Thank God for the things that he's given you, each and every day, that you don't deserve.
Thank him that his mercy is renewed like the morning: that in the moments when you took him for granted, he was still faithful to you. Thank God that his love is without end and it endures forever. Thank God for his blessings upon your children and your children's children. Thank God for his angels that protect you and guard you and guide you. Thank God for the blessings that he's poured out on your business, for the doors of opportunity that he's opened, for the times that he directed your path and you didn't even see his hand making a way where there seemed to be no way. No matter what you're facing today, realize that God is for you and not against you. And be thankful unto him and bless his name.
Father, today, we thank you in this house of worship, because you are the God who has given us all things. Everything that we have is because of you. And without you, we can do nothing. Today we thank you for the bodies that you've healed. Today we thank you for the homes that you've restored. Today we thank you for the lives that have delivered from destruction, for the addictions that you've broken, and the chains of bondage that you have shattered. Today we thank you, Heavenly Father, that when we had cancer, we came to a God who could cure cancer, and he healed it.
Today we thank you, Heavenly Father, that when we brought generational curses, you denounced that curse, and you shed your blood upon it, and that curse was broken in our lives, and it no longer has a hold on us. Today we thank you, Heavenly Father, that no matter our need, you are the God who supplies that need according to your riches in glory. So today in this sanctuary and in this church, we want you to hear a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving from your people here on this earth whom you have redeemed. We're here today, Heavenly Father, to give "You" glory, to give "You" honor, to give "You" praise: that we might see this world restored: that we might change lives: that we might see the power of God poured out in this generation, in Jesus' name.
Today we thank you, Heavenly Father, that when we brought generational curses, you denounced that curse, and you shed your blood upon it, and that curse was broken in our lives, and it no longer has a hold on us. Today we thank you, Heavenly Father, that no matter our need, you are the God who supplies that need according to your riches in glory. So today in this sanctuary and in this church, we want you to hear a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving from your people here on this earth whom you have redeemed. We're here today, Heavenly Father, to give "You" glory, to give "You" honor, to give "You" praise: that we might see this world restored: that we might change lives: that we might see the power of God poured out in this generation, in Jesus' name.