Richvale Community Church
Sunday, August 3 2025
- Good morning! Have you ever tried to predict something—only to be completely blindsided by how it turned out?Maybe you planned the perfect day… and suddenly everything went sideways—traffic jams, unexpected delays,The other day, I was having coffee with Casey pastor from Orchard Church. We were catching up, having a great conversation. But apparently, the lid on my cup wasn’t on quite right. I went to take a sip, and—splat—coffee went everywhere. Shirt, table, pride—completely soaked.Life can be Unpredictable. Messy. Chaotic.And believe it or not, scientists actually study this kind of thing.There’s a whole field called Chaos Theory—Chaos Theory explores how small, seemingly insignificant changes can set off massive, unexpected consequences.You may have heard of the “butterfly effect”—the idea that a butterfly flapping its wings in Brazil could eventually influence the weather and trigger a hurricane in Texas.But here’s what’s fascinating. Chaos Theory doesn’t say that life is random.It says that beneath all the chaos, there’s actually order.These wild, unpredictable systems follow rules. Patterns. Laws.In other words—even chaos isn’t completely out of control…That’s an interesting concept, isn’t it? but it is familiar..,how many we have we said or thought.. “Everything happens for a reason.”But… is that assumption true?Does everything really happen for a reason? Or is that just something we say to make ourselves feel better when life doesn’t make sense?The truth is—we live in a world where there is the tension between order and chaos. Between what we can plan… and what we can’t predict. Between what God allows… and what God ultimately intends.So are we subject to chaos?Well—yes and no.And that brings us to our text today.We’re in our summer series in the Psalms—and today we’re looking at Psalm 93. According to the Talmud, Psalm 93 was sung on Fridays, just before the Sabbath began.It was a reminder—just before rest—that no matter what was going on in the world, God reigns….LETS read OUR TEXT
Psalm 93:1–5 ESV 1 The Lord reigns; he is robed in majesty; the Lord is robed; he has put on strength as his belt. Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved. 2 Your throne is established from of old; you are from everlasting. 3 The floods have lifted up, O Lord, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their roaring. 4 Mightier than the thunders of many waters, mightier than the waves of the sea, the Lord on high is mighty! 5 Your decrees are very trustworthy; holiness befits your house, O Lord, forevermore.The psalmist—BRINGS UP the tension between order and chaos.On one hand, we believe in a sovereign God who created the world with beauty, rhythm, and purpose.On the other hand, we live in a world full of surprises—unexpected storms, personal setbacks, global upheaval.HOW DO WE RECONCILE THE TENSION?HOW DO WE RESPOND?— do we shrug our shoulders and say..“Life happens”sometimes.”…Plans fall throughUnexpected illness or loss occursOur job changes unexpectedlyYou get stuck in traffic,face setbacksSpill coffeeThis is idea that life happenshas roots in Stoic philosophy—the ancient belief that while you can’t control your world, you can control your response.That sounds noble. Resilient. Even wise.But here’s the problem:Stoicism God out of the picture.Stoicism believes that the universe is governed by impersonal reason or “logos”—a kind of cosmic order.It all depends on your own Effort…Christianity believes the universe is governed by a personal God… who knows, loves, and intervenes in human lives.Where God is sovereign over his creation…How do we navigate the unexpected?First..1. Hitch Your Wagon to Something Secure.The American philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “Hitch your wagon to a star.”What he saying is inspiring .— reach beyond the horizon and chase something greater than yourself...We admire people with vision, with ambition, with their eyes set on something higher.But here’s the thing: aiming high is good…but it’s just not the most important thing.What is important is what are we hitched too….Are you tethered to something solid?You could be chasing a light that might burn out? It’s not just about reaching up. It’s about being anchored deep.Psalm 93 reminds us— that Our hope should be anchor in the Lord who reigns.lets hear it again…Psalm 93:1–2 ESV 1 The Lord reigns; he is robed in majesty; the Lord is robed; he has put on strength as his belt. Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved. 2 Your throne is established from of old; you are from everlasting.That word “reigns” speaks of governance—of rule, of authority, of power over a domain.The Jewish historian Josephus was the first to coin the word “Theocracy”he used it’s—to describe Israel’s unique form of government.While other nations were ruled by monarchs (one ruler), oligarchies (the rule of the few), or democracies (government by the people), Israel was different. Israel was a Theocracy—a people governed directly by God Himself.So when the psalmist declares “The Lord reigns,” he’s not just making a poetic statement—he’s making a theological one.He’s proclaiming that God has real authority. Real rule. Real dominion over his creation.Kings reign over land. Empires reign over borders. But the Lord? He reigns over everything..He reigns over every nation, every ruler, every ethnic group, every atom and every galaxy. Every cell of creation is subject to His dominion.The psalmist doesn’t Just argue for God’s reign—he announces it. It’s not a question. It’s a fact. “The Lord reigns.”And his reign had 4 distinct characteristicsFirst characteristic is the Majesty of God..One of the dominate images of God in the Old Testament is the lord as king.…Psalm 95:3 “3 For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods.”The psalms tells us .that .God is above all other Monarchs and rulers..But Not only does God reign,but His sovereignty is clothed in majesty.Majesty speaks of the awesomeness of God..We use the word awesome in a very shallow way…Today, we use it to describe just about anything:“That pizza was awesome.”“We had an awesome day at the beach.”“I saw an awesome deal on a new lawnmower.”But in Scripture, when someone encountered the majesty of God—they didn’t just say, “That was awesome.”They fell on their face.They trembled.They worshiped.Why? Because God’s majesty isn’t just impressive—it’s overwhelming.It’s terrifying and beautiful all at once.It is what— Isaiah when he had a vision of God entering into the Templein Isaiah chapter 6.. he had a glorious vision of the majesty of —it made am impact.. Isaiah … make sure he put a time stamp on it..wrote of the time and the date.. he said that..Isaiah 6:1–4 GNB In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord. He was sitting on his throne, high and exalted, and his robe filled the whole Temple. 2Round him flaming creatures were standing, each of which had six wings. Each creature covered its face with two wings, and its body with two, and used the other two for flying. 3They were calling out to each other: “Holy, holy, holy! The Lord Almighty is holy! His glory fills the world.” 4 The sound of their voices made the foundation of the Temple shake, and the Temple itself was filled with smoke.It was an awesome vision of God a king… Isaiah was so overcome with a sense of God’s majesty that he cried out, “Woe to me.… I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty” (v. 5).Gods Majesty is an attribute that links God’s holiness and to his sovereignty…It sets him apart from every other rulers.Psalm 113:5 ESV 5 Who is like the Lord our God, who is seated on high,Who is like Our God..There is none like him..The second characteristic is2. The Power of God.. We are given a second image of God putting on majestylike a royal robe—This communicates His dignity, authority, stateliness, and grandeur.To take one’s rightful place.James Montgomery Boice tells us that“Earthly monarchs have often gone to great lengths to enhance the impression of their majesty by multiplications of trappings of power.Here is the thing! -God does not need props to prove His power. His majesty is not manufactured—it’s intrinsic. It's built into His very nature.And then the psalmist adds another layer: “The Lord is robed in strength.” Not only is He majestic—He is mighty.He doesn’t just look powerful—He is powerful.This isn’t pageantry. It’s reality. God is not a symbolic king. He’s not a ceremonial figurehead.He is the reigning, ruling, glorious, and strong King over all creation.The third characteristic of God’s reign is that it is unchanging.3. We see Gods reign in his immutability.The word immutability— simply means that God never changes.His character does not evolve. His nature does not shift.His promises do not expire.His rule does not wobble.The psalmist puts it beautifully:"Your throne is established… You are from everlasting."The word “established” here carries the weight of permanence, stability, and durability.God’s throne isn’t new. It wasn’t recently assembled. . It didn’t come through conquest or collapse. It has always been…Lastly His Character4. The eternity of GodThe psalms are written in Hebrew poetry… they use parallelism—Parallelism is repeating the same thought in different words to emphasize and deeper meaning. For example: “The Lord is robed in majesty;the next lines is.. the Lord is robed in strength.” Parallelism builds emphasisAnother parallel is found in the psalm’s description of the world being firmly established and unmoved.Psalm 93:1–2 ESV 2b Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved. Your throne is established from of old; you are from everlasting.Again parallelism emphasize Gods reign… Through his reign. The world is establishedHis throne is established~ Because He is Eternal from everlasting.. .When Pam and I were in Rome..It was awesome to be so close to ancient history— it was in credible to think that Paul the apostle walked these same streets..But here’s the thing: even the mighty Roman Empire, which once ruled the known world, eventually crumbled into ruins.Rome that once looked indestructible is now a tourist site.But God’s throne? It has been established forever.It’s not just old—it’s eternal. It doesn’t crumble. It doesn’t erode. It’s not shaken by the rise and fall of empires or economies.It’s secure. something that is we can trust in.. When life feels uncertain, when everything seems to be unraveling, Psalm 93 invites us to remember: There is One who never changes.As Hebrews 13:8 declares: "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and foreverT/s How do Navigate the Unexpected..1. Hitch our Wagon to Something Secure2. Turn up Praise and drown out the Noise.This past week there was a powerful 8.8 earthquake off the coast of Russia—so strong it triggered tsunami warnings all across the Pacific.Even places like Hawaii and the California coast were told to be on alert.Think about that for a moment: a quake on one side of the world has the power to send waves——rippling thousands of miles away.That’s the nature of chaos, isn’t it? It doesn’t stay contained. It spills over. A single crisis somewhere elseThis what the psalm points out..Psalm 93:3–4 ESV The floods have lifted up, O Lord, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their roaring. Mightier than the thunders of many waters, mightier than the waves of the sea, the Lord on high is mighty!The psalmist paints a picture of rising — waters.. a tsunami.. of chaos..Here again we find Hebrew parallelism — stacking lines to intensify the emotion.What have the floods done?They’ve lifted up.They’ve raised their voice.And now—they’re roaring.chaos is escalating.And chaos had a sound..It drowns out your peaceIt interrupts your prayers.It fills your newsfeed.It echoes in your mind at 2 a.m. with questions like, “What if?” or “What now?”The floods don’t just rise—they shout. And they want to be the loudest voice in your life.The Noise is the fear of the unknown… but the psalm reminds of the intersection where noise meets Gods sovereignty ! ..Psalm 93:4 ESV 4 Mightier than the thunders of many waters, mightier than the waves of the sea, the Lord on high is mighty!God is greater than noise (Thunder) -When I was younger we lived in this valley — we had these Awesome storms…we would see flashes of lightening then count — how many seconds before the thunder.. each second was a mile…Storms come with noise..But..He is mightier than the— thunder of Many Waters…— The psalmist wants us to see the Omnipotence of God — He is all powerful..— When life thunders…We are called to Praise.And…—The louder the Storm — the louder I praise..Why? because we know God is Greater than any storm we can face.…—Remember when Disciple found themselves in the middle of storm on the Sea of Galilee.. .Mark tells us thatMark 4:37 “A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped.”The disciples were experienced fishermen.but This was no ordinary storm .. this threatened to take them out.. it was bigger than than what they could handle…They go looking for Jesus and the find him in the stern, sleeping on a cushion.”We have all gone looking for the Lord in storms..Here …He is asleep..Why lord? Simply because He wasn't afraid of the storm.…The disciples, in a panic, wake Him up: “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”“ Jesus gets up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, ‘Quiet! Be still!’and immediately the wind died down and it was completely calm.”Jesus didn’t just speak to the storm—He silenced it.Peace be still..Psalm 93 and Mark 4 are telling the same story.The floods lift up. The wind howls. The waves roar. But God speaks.The storm is loud—but ourGod is louder.The chaos is real—but so is the Christ in your boat.When the floods we lift up—our eyes higher…we can find his peace…The Psalm teaches us to turn up Faith — turn up praise..Why..Because the Lord on high is mighty…Application..Storms come in many forms..ButPraise shifts our focus from our problems to our God.It doesn’t deny the storm—it declares that God is greater than the storm.The prophet Habakkuk Paints a picture of what it means to have faith and trust GOD … when faced …with loss—(Habakkuk 3:17–18)Habakkuk 3:17–18 ESV 17 Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, 18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation.That’s not just a feeling. That’s a choice. Thats what is means to drown out ths noise… T/s How do Navigate the Unexpected1. Hitch Your Wagon to Something Secure2/ Turn up Praise and drown out the Noise..3. Put on Strength and Holiness.Years ago, my brother-in-law and I visited a Presbyterian church in Hilton Head, South Carolina.We figured—Hey, it’s a beach town! It’s vacation! Everyone’s probably in shorts and flip-flops.So we walked in our flip flops and were wrong..... everyone was dressed in suites and dresses…. We didn’t stay for the sevice and snuck out early… if you look atPsalm 93 as a whole it opens with a visual of the Lord being robed in majesty.:Psalm 93:1 ESV 1 The Lord reigns; he is robed in majesty; the Lord is robed; he has put on strength as his belt. Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved.The psalmist doesn’t merely say “God is strong.”He paints it: God puts on strength—like clothing. The imagery is royal and active. He is not simply reigning; He is prepared for it.He robes Himself with majesty. He straps on strength like a warrior buckles his belt.He’s not caught off guard by chaos.. God reigns, and He’s dressed for it..In the text…We have the surge of his power meeting the surge of the world— and overcoming it with his strength and his holiness.And here's where it gets personal:We are called to reflect His reign.Jesus came proclaiming the kingdom of God.. and part of being a Christian is being under his reign,, his kingdom righteousness peace joy in the Holy Spirit..When we come under his reign we are also covered under his protection— and his kingdom was one where we have to take off the old and put on the new..Paul tells in Ephesians 4:that we come to Christ..we are to put off the old and put on the new...Ephesians 4:22–24 ESV 22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.You see the language again? “Put off… put on…”Put off what’s worn-out, sinful, false.Put on what fits your new identity in Christ.Just as God clothes Himself with strength and majesty to rule the world, we are to clothe ourselves with His character ..This isn’t just about behavior modification—it’s about identity transformation.The Call to Put on StrengthWe put on his strength..Not your own strength—but the strength that comes from God…Ephesians 6 doesn’t call us to muster up inner toughness. It calls us to receive what God provides:—Ephesians 6:10Ephesians 6:10 ESV 10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.This is not about powering through. It’s about putting on what God has already laid out for you—like armor.Put on the belt of truth.Put on the breastplate of righteousness.Take up the shield of faith.Put on the helmet of salvation—the shoes.Paul says, “As shoes for your feet, put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.”Putting on strength means It means trusting when nothing makes sense. It means standing firm when the floodwaters threaten to sweep your feet out from under you.It’s not a denial of the chaos—it’s a declaration that God’s strength is greater.CONCLUSIONPsalm 93 ends with this line:Psalm 93:5 ESV 5 Your decrees are very trustworthy; holiness befits your house, O Lord, forevermore.The psalm ends with a call to holiness…Be set apart to the Lord..That word befits means “is fitting,”“is appropriate.”In other words: holiness looks good on God's people.It matches His house. It suits His presence.Holiness doesn’t mean perfection.It means set apart—living in alignment with God’s character, not the chaos around us.But Psalm 93 says that God’s decrees are trustworthy, not optional.When the world is shaking, don’t loosen your grip on God’s truth—tighten it.When culture is shouting “live your truth,” God calls us to live His.When convenience says “take the easy way,” holiness says “take the narrow path.”When everything says “conform,” Christ says “be transformed.”Maybe today you find yourself standing in the flood— Your carefully laid plans have collapsed. Your peace feels rattled. Your prayers seem to hang unanswered in the silence.We are not without hope…We come to the throne…The writer of Hebrews says..Hebrews 4:16 ESV 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.Today we come to the throne that cannot be shaken, to the God who cannot be moved.No matter what you’re going through—loss, uncertainty, fear— you can trust this: God is firmly seated in His majesty —The Reformer John Calvin once said:“The chief praise of Christians is self-renunciation.”In other words, true praise happens when we stop clinging to our own strength… and surrender fully to His…lets pray..The splendor of the king -g Psalm 93:1–5ESV
Psalm 93:1–2ESV
Isaiah 6:1–4ESV
Psalm 113:5ESV
Psalm 93:2ESV
Psalm 93:3–4ESV
Psalm 93:4ESV
Habakkuk 3:17–18ESV
Psalm 93:1ESV
Ephesians 4:22–24ESV
Ephesians 6:10ESV
Psalm 93:5ESV
Hebrews 4:16ESV
- How Great Is Our God
Richvale Community Church
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