Trust
About this series:
The title of our teaching series throughout 2023 is The Kingdom Of God. The essential goal is to help people understand the Bible’s teaching on the kingdom of God and raise confidence in God’s plans for his kingdom’s expansion / multiplication.
Teaching about The Kingdom Of God is a great way to address life as a church community - this is how life together under God’s reign should look like. And to address our lives in the world - demonstrating to those in our sphere of influence the reality of God and what life looks like when God is your king.
The six topics we will cover in Kingdom People are characteristics we believe to be foundational to life as a follower of Jesus. They are therefore qualities of people living in the kingdom of God - people who trust God, grow in Christlikeness, relate to others in godly ways, give freely because they have freely received, share their lives and faith with others, and seek the multiplication of God’s kingdom wherever they go.
About this talk:
Scripture: Psalm 62
Psalm 62 was written by David for Jeduthun, one of the three chief musicians (cf. titles of Psalms 39 & 77; 1 Chronicles 16:41-42; 25:1,3,6). In it David expresses his trust in God in a variety of ways, vs 1-2 and 5-8, and then, to encourage those listening, says, v 8, “Trust in him at all times, you people”.
Trust is, of course, very closely related to faith, belief, conviction, and hope. Trust is confidence placed in someone for a good reason. It is perhaps the first, basic step in someone’s relationship with God - believing that he is worthy of trust, that “he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him” (Hebrews 11:6). David’s confidence in God is based on his knowledge of God which has been gained through his prior experiences with God, an example of which is expressed in 1 Samuel 17:32-37.
David’s trust in God had practical effects in his life:
His soul is at rest (vs 1, 5)
He knows where his salvation comes from (v 1)
He is stable despite opposition (vs 2-4, 6-7)
He has hope (v 5)
Trusting God also results in obeying him. If he truly is God and his words are true, then we will obey him. The whole Bible story tells us that obedience is the right and natural response towards God. Jesus made it very clear that those who love him will obey him: “If you love me, keep my commands…Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me…Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching” (John 14:15, 21, 23). John reiterates this basic point in his first letter: “We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands. Whoever says, ‘I know him,’ but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them” (1 John 2:3-5).
Trust is therefore a central feature of life under God’s reign:
Trusting God for who his word reveals him to be: creator, sustainer and judge.
Trusting that he is good, holy, righteous, just, loving, etc.
Trusting that we are united to Christ in his death and resurrection by faith.
Trusting that obedience to him is the wisest and safest way to live and that he is worthy to be obeyed, whatever that may lead to.
We have looked at how living under God’s reign requires trust - ask yourself:
What are some situations in which people tend to find it hard to trust God (do you have some personal examples that are appropriate to share)?
What have you found to be helpful ways to grow in trusting God?
Can you help people get to a point where they make a decision to trust/obey God?
Audio only
