
Google provides a lot of facts about a lot of things—probably even a few facts about you! Well, God knows even more. In fact, He knows all about you. Hear more when you study along with us on Truth For Life with Alistair Begg.
From the Sermon
God Knows All about Me
Psalm 139:1–6 Sermon • Includes Transcript • 40:03 • ID: 3581
The King Who Does Not Take
All leaders always take: all except one.
When in Samuel’s time the Israelites requested a king so that they would be like the other nations, God granted their request. But He also told Samuel to solemnly warn the people about what to expect of a king’s ways (1 Samuel 8:7-9). The picture Samuel painted was of a king who would line his own pocket at the people’s expense and lead them back into a kind of slavery. It was a dismal prospect!
And it was one that, over the next few centuries, became a reality. Some kings had ups as well as downs, but the majority were corrupt; none of them were completely good. All the Israelites’ leaders always, in one way or another, took from them what the people had, instead of giving them what they had hoped.
Yet God would ultimately provide a King that was different from the rest. The New Testament begins with this King. “The time is fulfilled,” said Jesus, “and the kingdom of God is at hand” (Mark 1:15). By establishing God’s kingdom, He was declaring Himself to be King. Afterward, Jesus entered Jerusalem riding on the foal of a donkey, fulfilling the prophet’s words announcing that the King of God’s people would arrive in this manner (Zechariah 9:9). What kind of king comes on a donkey rather than in a chariot or on a war horse? The same King that would be crowned with thorns a few days later. Here was a King unlike any other king.
There is a great and prevalent lie that goes something like this: “If you trust Jesus, He’ll take away all the good stuff, and you won’t have a good time. If you want a good time, go with another leader. If you go with Jesus, it’ll be boring, restrictive, life-sapping.” But actually, the reverse is true! Unlike the kings of Israel, who would take from the people, Jesus was and is the King who gives—and He does so lavishly. He is the King who came to “give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45), who gives His sheep “eternal life, and they will never perish” (John 10:28), and who takes burdens and gives rest to those who accept His light yoke (Matthew 11:28-30).
Is Jesus your King? Many other voices will be attractive and persuasive—but if you let them rule you, you will be disappointed in the end. The Lord Jesus Christ will never disappoint you. He is the King who always gives all that you need, and the only thing He takes from you is your sin. Today, recognize and give thanks for the abundant goodness and generosity you have in your great King!
How is God calling me to think differently?
How is God reordering my heart’s affections — what I love?
What is God calling me to do as I go about my day today?
Jesus Foretells His Death a Third Time
32tAnd they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and uJesus was walking ahead of them. And vthey were amazed, and those who followed were afraid. And taking the twelve again, he began to tell them what was to happen to him, 33saying, “See, wwe are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will xcondemn him to death and ydeliver him over to the Gentiles. 34And they will zmock him and aspit on him, and flog him and kill him. And bafter three days he will rise.”
The Request of James and John
35cAnd James and John, dthe sons of Zebedee, came up to him and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us ewhatever we ask of you.” 36And he said to them, f“What do you want me to do for you?” 37And they said to him, “Grant us gto sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, hin your glory.” 38Jesus said to them, i“You do not know what you are asking. Are you able jto drink the cup that I drink, or kto be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” 39And they said to him, “We are able.” And Jesus said to them, l“The cup that I drink myou will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, nyou will be baptized, 40but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, obut it is for those for whom it has been pprepared.” 41And when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant at James and John. 42qAnd Jesus called them to him and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles rlord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 43But sit shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant,4 44and whoever would be first among you must be tslave5 of all. 45For even the Son of Man came not to be served but uto serve, and vto give his life as a ransom for wmany.”

Devotional material is taken from the Truth For Life daily devotionals by Alistair Begg, published by The Good Book Company, thegoodbook.com. Used by Truth For Life with permission. Copyright © 2021, 2022, The Good Book Company.

Bargaining like Pharaoh
Only you must not go very far away.
This is a crafty word from the lip of the arch-tyrant Pharaoh. If the poor enslaved Israelites must leave Egypt, then he bargains with them that it shall not be very far away—not too far for them to escape the terror of his arms and the observation of his spies. After the same fashion, the world hates the nonconformity of nonconformity or the dissidence of dissent; it would rather we were more charitable and not deal with things too severely. Death to the world and burial with Christ are experiences that worldly minds treat with ridicule, and as a result baptism, which pictures them, is almost universally neglected and even condemned.
Worldly wisdom recommends the path of compromise and talks of “moderation.” According to this carnal policy, purity is admitted to be very desirable, but we are warned against being too precise; truth is of course to be followed, but error is not to be severely denounced. “Yes,” says the world, “be spiritually minded by all means, but do not deny yourself a little friendship with the world, the odd journey to Vanity Fair. What’s the good of denouncing this empty lifestyle when it is so fashionable and everybody does it?” Multitudes of professors succumb to this cunning advice, to their own eternal ruin.
If we are going to really follow the Lord, we must be prepared to walk the narrow path and join Moses who refused to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season. We must leave behind the world’s maxims—its pleasure, and its religion too—and go far away to the place where the Lord calls His sanctified ones.
When the town is on fire, our house cannot be too far from the flames. When disease is rampant, it is hard to escape it. The further from a poisonous snake the better, and the further from worldly conformity the better. To all true believers let the trumpet-call be sounded: “Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them.”1
1) 2 Corinthians 6:17

Devotional material is taken from Morning and Evening, written by C. H. Spurgeon, revised and updated by Alistair Begg. Copyright © 2003, Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers, Wheaton, IL 60187, www.crossway.org. Used by Truth For Life with written permission.
Daily Bible Reading for June 27
1“Give ear, kO heavens, and I will speak,
and let lthe earth hear the words of my mouth.
2May mmy teaching drop as the rain,
my speech distill as the dew,
like gentle rain upon the tender grass,
and nlike showers upon the herb.
3For I will proclaim the name of the Lord;
ascribe ogreatness to our God!
4p“The Rock, qhis work is perfect,
for rall his ways are justice.
A God of faithfulness and swithout iniquity,
just and upright is he.
5They have dealt corruptly with him;
they are no longer his children tbecause they are blemished;
they are ua crooked and twisted generation.
6Do you thus repay the Lord,
you foolish and senseless people?
Is not he vyour father, who wcreated you,
who xmade you and established you?
7yRemember the days of old;
consider the years of many generations;
zask your father, and he will show you,
your elders, and they will tell you.
8When the Most High agave to the nations their inheritance,
when he bdivided mankind,
he fixed the borders1 of the peoples
according to the number of the sons of God.2
9But the Lord's portion is his people,
Jacob his allotted heritage.
10“He found him cin a desert land,
and in the howling waste of the wilderness;
he dencircled him, he cared for him,
he ekept him as the apple of his eye.
11fLike an eagle that stirs up its nest,
that flutters over its young,
spreading out its wings, catching them,
bearing them on its pinions,
12gthe Lord alone guided him,
hno foreign god was with him.
13iHe made him ride on the high places of the land,
and he ate the produce of the field,
and he suckled him with jhoney out of the rock,
and koil out of lthe flinty rock.
14Curds from the herd, and milk from the flock,
with fat3 of lambs,
rams of Bashan and goats,
with the very finest4 of the wheat—
and you drank foaming wine made from mthe blood of the grape.
15“But nJeshurun grew fat, and okicked;
pyou grew fat, stout, and sleek;
qthen he forsook God rwho made him
and scoffed at sthe Rock of his salvation.
16tThey stirred him to jealousy with strange gods;
with abominations they provoked him to anger.
17uThey sacrificed to demons that were no gods,
to gods they had never known,
to vnew gods that had come recently,
whom your fathers had never dreaded.
18You were unmindful of wthe Rock that bore5 you,
and you xforgot the God who gave you birth.
19y“The Lord saw it and spurned them,
because of the provocation of zhis sons and his daughters.
20And he said, a‘I will hide my face from them;
I will see what their end will be,
for they are a perverse generation,
children in whom is no faithfulness.
21bThey have made me jealous with what is no god;
they have provoked me to anger cwith their idols.
So dI will make them jealous with those who are no people;
I will provoke them to anger with ea foolish nation.
22For fa fire is kindled by my anger,
and it burns to gthe depths of Sheol,
devours the earth and its increase,
and sets on fire the foundations of the mountains.
23“‘And I will heap disasters upon them;
hI will spend my arrows on them;
24they shall be wasted with hunger,
and devoured by plague
and poisonous pestilence;
I will send ithe teeth of beasts against them,
with the venom of jthings that crawl in the dust.
25kOutdoors the sword shall bereave,
and indoors terror,
for young man and woman alike,
the nursing child with the man of gray hairs.
26lI would have said, “I will cut them to pieces;
mI will wipe them from human memory,”
27had I not feared provocation by the enemy,
lest their adversaries should misunderstand,
lest they should say, n“Our hand is triumphant,
it was not the Lord who did all this.”’
28“For they are a nation void of counsel,
and there is ono understanding in them.
29pIf they were wise, they would understand this;
they would qdiscern their latter end!
30How could rone have chased a thousand,
and two have put ten thousand to flight,
unless their Rock shad sold them,
and the Lord had given them up?
31For ttheir rock is not as our Rock;
uour enemies are by themselves.
32For their vine vcomes from the vine of Sodom
and from the fields of Gomorrah;
their grapes are grapes of wpoison;
their clusters are bitter;
33their wine is the poison of xserpents
and the cruel venom of asps.
34“‘Is not this laid up in store with me,
ysealed up in my treasuries?
35zVengeance is mine, and recompense,6
afor the time when their foot shall slip;
for bthe day of their calamity is at hand,
and their doom comes swiftly.’
36For cthe Lord will vindicate7 his people
dand have compassion on his servants,
when he sees that their power is gone
and there is none remaining, ebond or free.
37Then he will say, f‘Where are their gods,
gthe rock in which they took refuge,
38who ate the fat of their sacrifices
and drank the wine of their drink offering?
Let them rise up and help you;
let them be your protection!
39“‘See now that hI, even I, am he,
and there is no god beside me;
iI kill and I make alive;
jI wound and I heal;
and there is none that can deliver out of my hand.
40For kI lift up my hand to heaven
and swear, As I live forever,
41if I lsharpen my flashing sword8
and my hand takes hold on judgment,
I will take vengeance on my adversaries
and will repay those who hate me.
42I will make my arrows drunk with blood,
and mmy sword shall devour flesh—
with the blood of the slain and the captives,
from the nlong-haired heads of the enemy.’
43o“Rejoice with him, O heavens;9
bow down to him, all gods,10
for he pavenges the blood of his children11
and takes vengeance on his adversaries.
He repays those who hate him12
and cleanses13 his people's land.”14
44Moses came and recited all the words of this song in the hearing of the people, he and qJoshua15 the son of Nun. 45And when Moses had finished speaking all these words to all Israel, 46he said to them, r“Take to heart all the words by which I am warning you today, sthat you may command them to your children, that they may be careful to do all the words of this law. 47For it is no empty word for you, tbut your very life, and by this word you shall live long in the land that you are going over the Jordan to possess.”
Moses' Death Foretold
48That very day the Lord spoke to Moses, 49“Go up uthis mountain of the Abarim, Mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab, opposite Jericho, and view the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the people of Israel for a possession. 50And die on the mountain which you go up, and be gathered to your people, as vAaron your brother died in Mount Hor and was gathered to his people, 51wbecause you broke faith with me in the midst of the people of Israel at the waters of Meribah-kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin, and because you did not treat me as holy in the midst of the people of Israel. 52For xyou shall see the land before you, but you shall not go there, into the land that I am giving to the people of Israel.”
Ayin
121I have done what is just and right;
do not leave me to my oppressors.
122Give your servant la pledge of good;
let not mthe insolent oppress me.
123My neyes long for your salvation
and for the fulfillment of your righteous promise.
124Deal with your servant according to your steadfast love,
and oteach me your statutes.
125I am your pservant; qgive me understanding,
that I may know your testimonies!
126It is time for the Lord to act,
for your law has been broken.
127Therefore I rlove your commandments
above gold, above fine gold.
128Therefore I consider all your precepts to be right;
I hate every sfalse way.
Pe
129Your testimonies are twonderful;
therefore my soul ukeeps them.
130The unfolding of your words gives light;
it imparts vunderstanding to the simple.
131I wopen my mouth and xpant,
because I ylong for your commandments.
132zTurn to me and be gracious to me,
as is your way with those who love your name.
133aKeep steady my steps according to your promise,
and let no iniquity bget dominion over me.
134cRedeem me from man's oppression,
that I may keep your precepts.
135dMake your face shine upon your servant,
and eteach me your statutes.
136My eyes fshed streams of tears,
because people gdo not keep your law.
Tsadhe
137hRighteous are you, O Lord,
and right are your rules.
138You have appointed your testimonies in irighteousness
and in all jfaithfulness.
139My kzeal consumes me,
because my foes forget your words.
140Your promise is well ltried,
and your servant mloves it.
141I am small and despised,
yet I do not nforget your precepts.
142Your righteousness is righteous forever,
and your law is otrue.
143Trouble and anguish have found me out,
but your commandments are my pdelight.
144Your testimonies are righteous forever;
Evil and Oppression
1Behold, bthe Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save,
or his ear dull, that it cannot hear;
2cbut your iniquities have made a separation
between you and your God,
and your sins have hidden his face from you
so that he does not hear.
3dFor your hands are defiled with blood
and your fingers with iniquity;
your lips have spoken lies;
your tongue mutters wickedness.
4eNo one enters suit justly;
no one goes to law honestly;
they rely on empty pleas, they speak lies,
fthey conceive mischief and give birth to iniquity.
5They hatch adders' eggs;
they weave the spider's web;
he who eats their eggs dies,
and from one that is crushed a viper is hatched.
6gTheir webs will not serve as clothing;
men will not cover themselves with what they make.
Their works are works of iniquity,
and deeds of violence are in their hands.
7hTheir feet run to evil,
and they are swift to shed innocent blood;
their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity;
desolation and destruction are in their highways.
8The way of peace they do not know,
and there is no justice in their paths;
they have made their roads crooked;
ino one who treads on them knows peace.
9Therefore justice is far from us,
and righteousness does not overtake us;
jwe hope for light, and behold, darkness,
and for brightness, but we walk in gloom.
10kWe grope for the wall like the blind;
we grope like those who have no eyes;
we stumble at noon as in the twilight,
lamong those in full vigor we are like dead men.
11We all growl like bears;
mwe moan and moan like doves;
nwe hope for justice, but there is none;
for salvation, but it is far from us.
12For our transgressions are multiplied before you,
and our sins testify against us;
for our transgressions are with us,
and we know our iniquities:
13transgressing, and denying the Lord,
and turning back from following our God,
ospeaking oppression and revolt,
conceiving and uttering from the heart lying words.
Judgment and Redemption
14pJustice is turned back,
and righteousness stands far away;
for truth has stumbled in the public squares,
and uprightness cannot enter.
15Truth is lacking,
and he who departs from evil makes himself a prey.
The Lord saw it, and it displeased him1
that there was no justice.
16qHe saw that there was no man,
and wondered that there was no one to intercede;
then his own arm brought him salvation,
and his righteousness upheld him.
17rHe put on righteousness as a breastplate,
and a helmet of salvation on his head;
he put on garments of vengeance for clothing,
and wrapped himself in szeal as a cloak.
18tAccording to their deeds, so will he repay,
wrath to his adversaries, repayment to his enemies;
uto the coastlands he will render repayment.
19vSo they shall fear the name of the Lord from the west,
and his glory from the rising of the sun;
wfor he will come like a rushing stream,2
which the wind of the Lord drives.
20x“And ya Redeemer will come to Zion,
to those in Jacob who turn from transgression,” declares the Lord.
21“And as for me, zthis is my covenant with them,” says the Lord: “My Spirit that is upon you, aand my words that I have put in your mouth, shall not depart out of your mouth, or out of the mouth of your offspring, or out of the mouth of your children's offspring,” says the Lord, “from this time forth and forevermore.”
Judging Others
1r“Judge not, that you be not judged. 2sFor with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and twith the measure you use it will be measured to you. 3Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but udo not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? 5You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.
6v“Do not give wdogs what is holy, and do not throw your xpearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.
Ask, and It Will Be Given
7y“Ask, zand it will be given to you; aseek, and you will find; bknock, and it will be opened to you. 8For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 9Or which one of you, if his son asks him for cbread, will give him ca stone? 10Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11If you then, dwho are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will zyour Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
The Golden Rule
12“So ewhatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is fthe Law and the Prophets.
13g“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy1 that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14For the gate is narrow and hthe way is hard that leads to life, and ithose who find it are few.
A Tree and Its Fruit
15j“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are kravenous wolves. 16You will recognize them lby their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17So, mevery healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. 18A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. 19nEvery tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20Thus you will recognize them lby their fruits.
I Never Knew You
21o“Not everyone who psays to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will qenter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who rdoes the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22sOn that day tmany will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not uprophesy in your name, and cast out demons vin your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23tAnd then will I declare to them, ‘I wnever knew you; xdepart from me, yyou workers of lawlessness.’
Build Your House on the Rock
24z“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like aa wise man who built his house on the rock. 25And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like aa foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”
The Authority of Jesus
28And when Jesus finished these sayings, bthe crowds were astonished at his teaching, 29cfor he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.
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