SERMON BIG IDEA:

 We bless the Lord through recalling his steadfast love, which leads to praise.

SERMON OVERVIEW:

During the sermon in Poway, California, PastorJason taught through Psalm 103, and showed how we must actively recall the steadfast love and benefits of God, and to resist the spiritual amnesia that so easily creeps into our lives. Life is full of distractions, and the gravitational pull is always toward forgetfulness, not just in our daily routines but in our spiritual walk as well. This is not a new problem—ancient Israel was repeatedly warned to remember the Lord and not to forget His works. The antidote to this forgetfulness is intentional self-talk, as modeled by David in Psalm 103: “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.” This is not just a poetic exercise, but a spiritual discipline that rewires our hearts and minds toward gratitude and praise.

David’s strategy is to immerse himself—and us—in the wide landscape of God’s benefits: forgiveness, healing, redemption, satisfaction, and renewal. These are not abstract concepts, but realities to be personally experienced. It is difficult to offer genuine praise if we have not encountered God’s goodness firsthand. The invitation is to seek a fresh encounter with God, especially in seasons of dryness or difficulty, and to make thanksgiving personal and real.

A central theme is the Hebrew word “hesed”—steadfast love, lovingkindness, covenant loyalty—a word so rich that no single English word can capture its depth. Miles Coverdale in the 1500’s coined a new word to capture the beauty of “hesed:” lovingkindness. Michael Card captures the depth of this word by explaining: It is the love that gives everything when we have a right to expect nothing. This love is not given randomly, but to those who fear God, who respond with reverence and obedience. The psalmist contrasts our fleeting, fragile existence with the everlasting nature of God’s love: our days are like grass, but His steadfast love is from everlasting to everlasting.This call to remember is not just for individuals, but for the whole community, for all creation, and it finds its ultimate fulfillment in Christ. Jesus, knowing our tendency to forget, gave us a meal—communion—as a tangible, recurring reminder of His covenant love and the immeasurable benefits we have in Him. The right response is a posture of thankfulness, reverence, and humility, blessing the Lord for all He has done, is doing, and will do.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

- The discipline of remembering God’s benefits is essential to spiritual health. Forgetfulness leads to thanklessness, which erodes the foundation of faith. Like David, we must actively command our souls to recall God’s goodness, especially in a world full of distractions and interruptions. [33:49]

- God’s steadfast love—hesed—is a covenant love that gives everything when we deserve nothing. This love is not a vague sentiment but a concrete, load-bearing reality that undergirds our relationship with God. It is a love that forgives, redeems, and renews, and it is the foundation for all true gratitude and worship. [47:40]

- Experiencing God’s benefits must be personal, not just theoretical. Praise and thanksgiving flow most naturally from firsthand encounters with God’s forgiveness, healing, and renewal. In dry or difficult seasons, pressing in to seek a fresh experience of God’s goodness is vital for a living, vibrant faith. [42:38]

- The benefits of God are not given arbitrarily but are received by those who fear Him—those who approach with reverence, humility, and obedience. The immeasurable distance between east and west is the measure of God’s forgiveness for those who revere Him, and His compassion is as a father’s to his children. [56:00]

- Communion is God’s countermeasure to spiritual forgetfulness. Jesus infused the ancient Passover meal with new meaning, making it a recurring act of remembrance for His followers. Participating in communion with a thankful, reverent heart is a way to bless the Lord and to anchor our souls in the reality of His steadfast love and all the benefits we have in Christ. [01:05:28]

YOUTUBE CHAPTERS:

[31:21] - The Power of Self-Talk and Spiritual Amnesia
[33:49] - The Danger of Forgetting and David’s Strategy
[39:30] - God’s Benefits to Individuals
[43:13] - The Untranslatable Word: Hesed (Steadfast Love)
[48:17] - God’s Steadfast Love to Israel
[56:00] - The Condition: Those Who Fear Him
[59:39] - The Contrast: Human Frailty and God’s Everlasting Love
[01:01:40] - Communion: The Meal of Remembrance

STUDY QUESTIONS:

1. Why do you think David talks to his own soul and commands himself to “bless the Lord” and “forget not all his benefits”? What does this reveal about the human tendency to forget God’s goodness? Why do you think it’s so easy to remember our complaints?
2. According to Psalm 103, who are the people that receive God’s steadfast love and forgiveness? What is the “condition” mentioned? Assess your own heart, do you fit this condition in your current season of life?
3. The sermon said that “forgetfulness leads to thanklessness, which erodes the foundation of faith.” If God is the foundation of our faith, what happens over time if we become thankless and/or ungrateful disciples? (Read Romans 1:21)
4. Consider the definition of‘Hesed’ (lovingkindness) from Michael Card: "When the person from whom I have a right to expect nothing gives me everything." How does this definition challenge or deepen your understanding of God's covenant love for you personally? Is there an area where you struggle to believe God’s love is really for you?
5. Reflect on God’s character through his self-revelation from Exodus 34 which is restated in Psalm 103:9-10. Reflect on103:12 that says God removes our transgressions "as far as the east is from the west." What does this imagery communicate to you about the completeness of God's forgiveness? Which of these attributes is most comforting or challenging to you, and why?
6. The sermon challenged us to seek a fresh encounter with God, especially in dry or difficult seasons. When was the last time you personally experienced God’s forgiveness, healing, or renewal? If it’s been a while, what is one step you can take to seek God this week?