Our sermon is from Psalm 141. It’s called “Do Not Return Evil for Evil.”
As Christians, we don’t get a pass from life’s deepest disappointments and harshest injuries. There are times when we a Christian don’t know how we ought to respond, especially when we are wronged. But… we know how we are tempted to respond! Too often, our natural inclination is to return evil for evil.
In Psalm 141, King David, who foreshadows Jesus, is praying that God would restrain him from returning evil for evil. He is praying over his heart (see vs. 4). We can hardly doubt that Jesus must have known and prayed this psalm as he was betrayed, beaten, and crucified.
One of my favorite descriptions of Jesus is from the book of Hebrews where it is says that “He learned obedience from what he suffered” (Hebrews 5:8,9). I like that because it helps me realize that the Father wanted the Son to know deeply and experientially what it is really like to live in a broken and a sinful world. Jesus knows the temptation to avenge ourselves. Jesus could have responded to evil with incredible evil when he was mocked by soldiers, humiliated publicly, betrayed by friends, and cruelly crucified like an uncommon criminal. Yet, he learned and modelled the heart of Psalm 141.
Some of you need this psalm right now. We all will at some point in our lives. Would you pray as you prepare for worship this week that God would teach you and grant you a heart that would rather suffer wrong than to respond to evil with more evil? Would you pray for those who are struggling with injustice that God might use this worship to magnify the forgiving, merciful life of Jesus and bring peace and comfort to their hearts?
Prepare your hearts for God’s Word. Pray for God’s grace and mercy for each other.
