Who Am I?

Sermon for 9/23/2007
Psalm 106 (especially vs. 8)

Introduction:
Several months ago I was teaching the teenagers in Sunday school. We were talking about Exodus 33, a unique Scripture where it talks about Moses seeing the Lord. To open up the class I asked a question, “When we get to heaven, what three questions will you ask God?” After giving some questions, the teenagers asked me, “What questions will you ask of God?” I said, “Lord, why did you bother?”

WBTU:
A. Some would say I have low self esteem. God is so big and I am so small. Psalm 8:4- What is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?
B. God is also so pure and holy and we are so not. John the Baptist baptized Jesus Christ, the Son of God, but he said (John 1:27) - He is the one who comes after me, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.
C. Rusty Goodman Who Am I
When I think of how He came so far from Glory, Came and dwelt among the lowly such as I; To suffer shame and such disgrace, On Mount Calvary take my place; Then I ask myself the question, “Who am I?”
Then I’m reminded of the words, “I’ll leave thee never, Just be true, I’ll give to you a life forever.” Then I wonder what I could have done, to deserve God’s only Son; To fight my battles till they’re won, O Who am I?
Who am I that a King would bleed and die for? Who am I that he would pray: “Not my will, thine for?” The answer I may never know, Why He ever loved me so; That to an old rugged cross He would go, For who am I?
D. How could God do this since he knows how we are? John 2:24-25: But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all men. He did not need man’s testimony about man, for he knew what was in a man.

Thesis: Psalm 106 gives insight on what is in us and also on why God would do this for us!

For instances:
I. What is in us
A. Some people have an inflated opinion of themselves.
B. Philippians 3:7- But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. Jesus Christ did not come down because we were such wonderful people.
C. Some say "If I was there during the events of the Exodus it would have been different. I would have been Moses’ greatest cheerleader. I would have not doubted at the Red Sea. I would not have participated in the Golden Calf. I would have trusted Joshua and Caleb and stood up with them even if they stoned me." Oh really! They go on and on.
D. Hebrews tells us not to follow their example of disobedience but we do every day.
E. Psalm 106 tells us what is in us:
1. Memory Loss- we forget God’s goodness to us. Read vs. 6-12. Trouble ahead of us, trouble behind us but the main trouble is in our own minds. We forget so quickly and easily. Hugh said last week that the mind has a great capacity to remember but it also has a great capacity to forget.
2. Impatient- Forsake God’s way to satisfy our desires. Read vs. 13-15. In this instance it is talking about food, but in our day we should probably mention sexual desires. A study recently came out and it said that unmarried professing Christians might be engaging in more premarital sexual activities than non-believers.
3. Envious of God’s appointed leaders- Forsaking God’s authority. Read vs. 16-18. These rebels had no fear of God. Power hungry. There was severe discipline for