Well, we're going to look at Psalm 3, and my title for Psalm 3 is "Life Among the Skeptics." You don't probably need me to tell you this, but more and more, it is clear that we are living in a world of skeptics. Our culture denies the existence of God; our culture denies his moral commands; people of faith are growingly misunderstood and mocked. We're no longer in the center of culture, understood and esteemed as Christians; we're now a fringe community-lots of misunderstanding and lots of fear about who we are and what we are. And so, I love Psalm 3. Listen to Psalm 3:
O Lord, how many are my foes!
Many are rising against me;
many are saying of my soul,
"There is no salvation for him in God."
Notice what they attack here; the attack is deeply spiritual. "Why do you trust God? There is no salvation to be found in him. Biblical faith is unnecessary; it's fueled by false hope that is built on a lie." And we're growingly going to face that attack from people who just don't understand why we believe what we believe and will think that we are a threat. So, the question is, "How do you live among the skeptics?" Well, the answer is in this Psalm:
But you, O Lord, are a shield about me,
my glory, and the lifter of my head.
I cried aloud to the Lord,
and he answered me from his holy hill.
I lay down and slept;
I woke again, for the Lord sustained me.
If you're going to live in a culture of skeptics, you have to constantly preach to yourself the truths of the gospel of who God is, and what he does. Let me say that again. You have to be committed to constantly preaching the gospel to yourself.
What does he say? "God is my shield. God is my glory. God is the lifter of my head." You know when you're upset, your head falls. God is the one who lifts me up emotionally and spiritually. God is the one who actually hears and answers my prayer; God is the one who sustains me. You have to preach to yourself again and again the truths of the existence and the grace, the presence and the promises and the activity of God.
And then the Psalmist says, I love this:
I will not be afraid of many thousands of people
who have set themselves against me all around.
If this is who God is, if God is who he declares himself in his Word, if he is the one who meets me and sustains me, is present with me, answers my prayer, then why would I be afraid if I'm around a thousand skeptics? Because I do not believe what I believe because it's culturally popular.
I'm afraid that it's true that fear in the face of mockery is often the result of 'identity amnesia.' I want to say that again: fear in the face of mockery is often the result of 'identity amnesia.' It's a result of forgetting who God is, and who you are as his child.
Again, I love how this Psalm ends:
Salvation belongs to the Lord; your blessing be on your people!
So, get up tomorrow, and say to yourself, say it aloud so you hear it, "Salvation and blessing belong to the Lord, and salvation and blessing are his gifts to his people." If you're going to live in a culture you're now living in, and not be wracked with fear and doubt, you have to be committed to preaching to yourself the gospel of who God is and what he does on behalf of his people. You preach to you, day after day, day after day.
Questions for Personal Reflection or Group Discussion
1. In what ways has your culture grown increasingly hostile towards Christians and Christianity over your lifetime, or in recent years? What are some fresh examples of your culture denying the existence of God or rejecting his law and created order? What is your emotional reaction toward this? Are you afraid, angry, defensive, or aggressive? How does Psalm 3 instruct our response?
2. How can you equip yourself to engage winsomely in your cultural context? What resources are available to help you understand the issues of the moment and how Christian apologetics speaks to them? Where are you tempted to back away from the gospel message because of fear of conflict? In what ways have you been willing to compromise on biblical truth because of cultural pressure?
Conversation Prompts to Use with Children
For Younger Children: Did you know that not everyone believes in Jesus? Did you know that some people are mean to people who believe in Jesus? Did you know Jesus had enemies? Did you know that some people try and make fun of God? Do you think small people can make fun of a big God? Do you like it when people make fun of you? People might make fun of you if you tell them that you believe in Jesus, and that will be really hard, but God will always protect you and take care of you for believing in him.
For Older Children: Have you been mocked because of your Christian faith or background? What specifically do they make fun of? Have you been rejected or isolated because you won't follow along with everything your peers do? Are you tempted to ignore what the Bible says just so you can fit it or avoid being made fun of? What can you do in those moments when you feel alone all because of your faith and belief in Jesus?
You have permission to print, repost, share, distribute, and translate this resource as long as you credit Paul Tripp as the teacher, do not charge for this resource, and do not alter the content in any way. If you require an exception or special permission, please email Info@PaulTripp.com.
