Oftentimes, lies that people tell us hang over our head for years. They cause distress and unrest in our souls, leaving us without any sense of God’s peace. We need to do the soul-work necessary to receive the truth that matters most is in our lives: God and His word.
This message from Senior Pastor Matt Erickson kicks off a new sermon series on the Psalms of Ascent, Ascend, beginning with Psalm 120.
SERMON OUTLINE
I call on the Lord in my distress, and he answers me.” (Psalm 120:1)
The Journey with God
- Psalms of Ascent
- Christian life as a journey with God
Beginning with the Lord in Our Distress (vss 1-2)
- Honest prayer
- Hopeful prayer
Untangling Falsehood with Divine Truth (vss 3-4)
- God’s intervention
- God’s ultimate ends for falsehood
Living for Peace in the Midst of Conflict (vss 5-7)
- Meshek and Kedar
- I am for peace
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
- What has been the favorite vacation or road trip that you’ve ever experienced?
- This weekend we begin a new series, “Ascend,” drawn from the Psalms of Ascent (Psalms 120-134). Begin your study in prayer, asking God to speak to you through His word, andthen read Psalm 120 aloud.
- Background: The Psalms of Ascent are a group of psalms that were likely sung or prayed by people as they traveled in family or neighborhood groups to Jerusalem for festivals and celebrations. These psalms were, in a sense, a soundtrack for their journey. We hope to learn from these psalms what it means to have the right soundtrack for our journey through life with God.
- What would you say is the psalmist’s situation based on verses 1-2 of Psalm 120?
- How does the psalmist turn his situation into a prayer in verse 1?
- Verses 3-4 reflect on lying voices around the psalmist. When have you faced liars speaking against you in your life? How did you respond?
- How does the psalmist reflect on the destiny of the liar in verses 3-4?
- Verses 5-7 reference Meshek and Kedar, which were barbarous tribes at the outer edges of the land of Israel. It is likely that these references are metaphors for the psalmist feeling surrounded by people who viciously stand against peace. Have you ever felt surrounded by those standing against peace? How has that led you to God?
- What is one thing that God is speaking to you through this study? If you are on your own, write it down and pray about it. If you are in a small group, take time to discuss this with one another before praying together.