Psalm 37, "Just A Little More"  Rev. Blake Altman, Lead Pastor

God intends to change you by His Word. How is He at work in you to do that?  

Read Psalm 37:12-22 and consider these questions. 

12The wicked plots against the righteous
and gnashes his teeth at him,
13 but the Lord laughs at the wicked,
for he sees that his day is coming.
14 The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows
to bring down the poor and needy,
to slay those whose way is upright;
15 their sword shall enter their own heart,
and their bows shall be broken.
16 Better is the little that the righteous has
than the abundance of many wicked.
17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken,
but the LORD upholds the righteous.
18 The LORD knows the days of the blameless,
and their heritage will remain forever;
19 they are not put to shame in evil times;
in the days of famine they have abundance.
20 But the wicked will perish;
the enemies of the LORD are like the glory of the pastures;
they vanish—like smoke they vanish away.
21 The wicked borrows but does not pay back,
but the righteous is generous and gives;
22 for those blessed by the LORD shall inherit the land,
but those cursed by him shall be cut off.

 

SERMON OUTLINE AND REVIEW: 

I.  The Trustees of Contentment.

The ___________________ and the ___________________ seek contentment.

  Contentment: 

Wicked: 

Righteous:  

Covenant: 

II.  Tactics of contentment

1. With others (socially) (37:12-15)

2. With their resources (economically) (37:16-21)

 

III. The Trailhead to Contentment (37:22)

 

 

Community Group Questions:

 

1. Read Psalm 37.  How many contrasts do you read between the wicked and the righteous?  
2. How did Pastor Blake define “wicked” and “righteous” in this text?
3. What is a “covenant”?  Read Genesis 15.  How does God establish this covenant?  How does he satisfy both sides of this covenant with Abraham at the cross? 
4. How might an understanding of God’s covenant promises to His people motivate us to find contentment in our current situations? 
5. How does the principle of “contentment by subtraction” challenge your current order of thinking? Are their ways you might grow more content in Christ’s provision for you by being more unsatisfied with the world?