In the task of training people for evangelism is important to know how God sees and treats unbelievers.
There is a passage in Mark 4: 1-20; Matthew 13: 1-23 and Luke 8: 4-15 indicating four responses to evengelio part of the unbelievers: 1) falling on hard ground along the path 2) falling on stony 3) that falls among thorns and 4) that falls on good ground. Here in Psalm 107 we also four types of people who respond to the gospel.
What we seek in the first reading:
As we read the text of Psalm observe his patterns.
What are synonyms for "redeem"?
How does the psalmist defines the word "redeem" in the same Psalm?
What are the sayings that are repeated in Psalm?
1-3
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; His love endures forever.
Let them say the Lord's redeemed, whom he redeemed from the hand of the adversary,
who gathered from all lands, from east and west, north and south.
4-10
Wandered in desert places, without finding the way to a livable city.
Hungry and thirsty, life ebbed them.
In their distress they cried to the Lord, and he delivered them from their distress.
He took the right path until you reach a livable city.
Let them thank the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men!
He quenches the thirst of the thirsty, and satiated with the best the hungry!
11-16
Afflicted and chained, living in the densest darkness
because they rebelled against the words of God, by disregarding the counsel of the Most High.
Subjected them to forced labor; Stumbled, and there was none to help.
In their distress they cried to the Lord, and he saved them from their distress.
Them out of the dark shadows and broke their chains in pieces.
Let them thank the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men!
He shatters the doors of bronze and breaks into pieces the iron bars!
17-22
Upset by his rebellion, distressed by their wickedness,
all food caused them disgusting.They arrived at the gates of death!
In their distress they cried to the Lord, and he saved them from their distress.
He sent his word and healed them and rescued them from the grave.
Let them thank the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men!
They offer sacrifices of thanksgiving, and tell of his works jubilant
23-32
They took to the sea in ships; To trade sailed many waters.
There, in the deep waters, they saw the works of the Lord and his wonders.
God spoke, and therefore a strong wind broke up the waves
who went up to heaven and down to the depths. Given the danger, they lost courage.
As drunk stumbled, staggered; Worth anything to them at their wits.
In their distress they cried to the Lord, and he brought them out of their distress.
Changed the storm to a whisper: the waves were hushed.
Calm Before that they were glad, and he guided them to their desired haven.
Let them thank the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men!
Let them exalt him in the assembly of the people!Praise him in the council of elders!
33-43
God turned rivers into a desert, springs into dry land,
fertile land in salt land, for the wickedness of its inhabitants.
He turned the desert into pools of water, dry land springs;
makes the hungry to dwell there, and they founded a livable city.
They sowed fields and planted vineyards, obtained abundant crops.
God blessed them and multiplied, and did not let their herds dwindle.
But if merman and humiliated, is by oppression, evil and distress.
God despises the nobility and makes them wander in a trackless waste.
But the needy out of its misery, and makes their families like flocks grow.
The upright see and rejoice, but all the wicked will be silenced.
43
Whoever is wise, let him understand these things and consider the great love of the Lord.
In the second reading
Mark all God's actions. For example: God spoke, God blessed, God turned, and so on.
Make all the actions of men.
Psalm 107: 1-3
The task of believers
1-3
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; His love endures forever.
Let them say the Lord's redeemed, whom he redeemed from the hand of the adversary,
who gathered from all lands, from east and west, north and south.
What is the task of the redeemed or believers in the first three verses?
The first three verses define the task of believers is to proclaim the greatness of the Lord. Let your friends know what the Lord has done for you. In other words, evangelizalos. How do we know this is the focus of Psalm? We know that the four groups of people describing Psalm start as unbelievers or rebels. They will not invoke the Lord, if they do not listen to Him (Romans 10:? 14-15 14 Now How can they call on him in whom they have not believed How shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard And how can they hear without someone preaching to them 15 how can they preach unless they are sent so it is written? "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news! ').
The following 4 paragraphs answer why the introduction.
What they have in common the 4 groups of people described before invoking the Lord in this Psalm?
Psalm 107: 4-10
1 First case: those who ignore God Psalm 107: 4-10
Wandered in desert places, without finding the way to a livable city.
Hungry and thirsty, life ebbed them.
In their distress they cried to the Lord, and he delivered them from their distress.
He took the right path until you reach a livable city.
Let them thank the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men!
He quenches the thirst of the thirsty, and satiated with the best the hungry!
This case presents no rebellion against God. People are living their own lives. Suddenly they are in a desert where there is no fruit or productivity in their lives.
The Psalm describes these "lost" or in the wrong place people. They were "without finding the way", without food and water. "Life was eating them." In other words they were very needy. The anguish led to "cry unto the Lord."
Analyzes the situation of the following three groups. What leads them to cry out to God?
Psalm 107: 11-16
2 Second case: Those who rebel against God
11-16
Afflicted and chained, living in the densest darkness
because they rebelled against the words of God, by disregarding the counsel of the Most High.
Subjected them to forced labor; Stumbled, and there was none to help.
In their distress they cried to the Lord, and he saved them from their distress.
Them out of the dark shadows and broke their chains in pieces.
Let them thank the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men!
He shatters the doors of bronze and breaks into pieces the iron bars!
3 Third case: Those who rebel against God with iniquity Psalm 107: 17-22
17-22
Upset by his rebellion, distressed by their wickedness,
all food caused them disgusting.They arrived at the gates of death!
In their distress they cried to the Lord, and he saved them from their distress.
He sent his word and healed them and rescued them from the grave.
Let them thank the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men!
They offer sacrifices of thanksgiving, and tell of his works jubilant
Fourth case: Traders who come to forget God Psalm 107: 23-32
23-32
They took to the sea in ships; To trade sailed many waters.
There, in the deep waters, they saw the works of the Lord and his wonders.
God spoke, and therefore a strong wind broke up the waves
who went up to heaven and down to the depths. Given the danger, they lost courage.
As drunk stumbled, staggered; Worth anything to them at their wits.
In their distress they cried to the Lord, and he brought them out of their distress.
Changed the storm to a whisper: the waves were hushed.
Calm Before that they were glad, and he guided them to their desired haven.
Let them thank the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men!
Let them exalt him in the assembly of the people!Praise him in the council of elders!
Notes on Psalm 107: 4-32
The four cases have some common elements.
The four cases presented distressed people with whom God is speaking ..
After watching all four cases, we have the conclusions expressed by the Psalmist.
Conclusions of the psalmist:
33-43
God turned rivers into a desert, springs into dry land,
fertile land in salt land, for the wickedness of its inhabitants.
He turned the desert into pools of water, dry land springs;
makes the hungry to dwell there, and they founded a livable city.
They sowed fields and planted vineyards, obtained abundant crops.
God blessed them and multiplied, and did not let their herds dwindle.
But if merman and humiliated, is by oppression, evil and distress.
God despises the nobility and makes them wander in a trackless waste.
But the needy out of its misery, and makes their families like flocks grow.
The upright see and rejoice, but all the wicked will be silenced.
How God causes anxiety?
The four cases Psalm 107 presents not express all that God does to cause "anguish". He has his armies to do so and His only His armies not only people but also their enemies. If only his people were his armies, would not cause much distress. It has other functions for us, particulamente function to announce their redemption or salvation.
In Habakkuk 1: 5-11 God announces Habakkuk that has its ready army, his army of Chaldeans. The Chaldeans were the enemies of the people of Judah, ie, enemies of God's people. But the Chaldeans had the task of imposing justice on God's people. God is active in imposing justice. We must cry out to God for justice. When Habakkuk realized the injustice of God's people, he became "distressed". God imposes the "anxiety" that people arrepenta and he cries out to him for mercy.
Notes on Psalm 107: 33-43
The only actor in the conclusions is God. This indicates that God is active.
Straight respond to the actions of God with joy.
The voice of God determines the fate of men.
God is calling people in "trouble". In cases 2, 3, and 4 this "distress" is caused by God.
God calls people to trust Him.
It is not healthy to have God as an enemy.
Do we find a similar post in other books of the Bible?
Habakkuk complains about the "injustice" (Habakkuk 1: 1-4) in Judah shortly before the invasion of the Babylonians. God replies that he is responding to the injustices of men in Judea. It's going to lead to a total "anguish" where he sent into exile. Proud people have idols and despises his neighbor robbing their land, founding a town with blood, and your neighbor (Habakkuk 2: 7-19) tease. Habakkuk shows remorse when he says, "in thy righteousness, remember mercy" (Habakkuk 3: 1-3 Nebuchadnezzar is called "servant of the Lord" and his army "my army" in Jeremiah.).
In Judges (Judges 2: find a cycle)
people forget God and fall into sin,
God commands them to trial where their enemies are subject.
People in their distress cries to God.
God raises up a judge who delivers them from their enemies and
people serve God as the judge lives (Judges 2: 11-21).
Nebuchadnezzar is a Babylonian king who was commissioned of God to remove Jews from its territory in Jerusalem. In Jeremiah Nebuchadnezzar is called "servant of the Lord" to destroy the unfaithful to his knees (Jeremiah 25: 9, 27: 6 and 43:10) people. God used to cause anguish and repentance called the army of Nebuchadnezzar His army in Habakkuk (1: 5-11). The Revelation uses Babylon as symbol of evil.
God uses trouble and makes his words susceptible people and they will cry out for salvation.
These findings, along with the 4 cases presented indicate that we always have to think that anxiety can be caused by God when he calls his people.
To evangelize people need to look at where God is planting "trouble".
"It is not the healthy who need a doctor but the sick. And I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners "(Mark 2:17, NIV).
Final exhortation
Psalm 107: 43
Whoever is wise, let him understand these things and consider the great love of the Lord.
