Psalm 146 (A Greater Help and Grander Hope)

The Neighborhood Church

We regularly need help. But humans have this bad habit of looking to the wrong people and in the wrong places. Psalm 146 puts its arms on our shoulders and says, "Breathe, trust, and praise God." Why? Because people, pastors, and politicians will fail us but God won't stop working, blessing, and reigning. Oh, and pay attention to *who* God is working for. May we look to God and ground our help and hope in his kingdom. NOTES -- // SCRIPTURE FOCUS -- Psalm 146 // The Psalms are the prayerbook of God’s people that covers the vast landscape of human emotion and experience. The Psalms give us permission to bring our whole selves to God, reminding us where to look for our help and hope. // Psalm 146 is a corporate conversation with God and a people tempted to trust just about anyone else but him for help. // When we face failure, brokenness, and need, Psalm 146 puts its hands on our shoulders and says, "Breathe, trust, and praise." // Psalms of Doxology -- Psalms 146-150 are bookended with "Hallelujah's" // Psalm of Contrast -- Psalm 146 critiques competitors vying for your hope and calls us to praise God and find blessing // WHERE AM I INVESTING MY TRUST? WHERE DO I LOOK FOR MY HELP? Does the ground of my identity and security "come to nothing" when [BLANK] "comes to nothing"? // "THE YEAH YEAH YEAH SONG" by The Flaming Lips (2006) If you could blow up the world with the flick of a switch, would you do it? If you could make everybody poor just so you could be rich, would you do it? If you could watch everybody work while you just lay on your back, would you do it? If you could take all the love without giving any back, would you do it? And so we cannot know ourselves Or what we'd really do With all your power With all your power With all your power What would you do? // God wills well-being and has a special care for the poor and oppressed. God is actively working to renew what’s broken and restore what’s imbalanced (justice). God makes, remains faithful, upholds the cause of the oppressed, feeds, frees, gives sight, lifts up, loves... // When you see need, you see a call to... (a.) Love (b.) Pray (c.) Act or (d.) All the Above (and look closely because you'll see God too) // "Jesus is the kingdom in person" (ORIGEN) // The gospel in 1 word -- "Jesus." The gospel in 3 words -- "Jesus is Lord." The gospel is the Good News that Jesus—through his life, death, and resurrection—is the reigning Lord of heaven and earth and all people are invited to live in God's kingdom, filled with God's Spirit, free from sin and death.