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Thank you to those who prayed and cheered with us. My wife Tamara and I are still celebrating our son Jimmy’s wedding to Emily. Last weekend was full of joy. It was awesome! Jimmy and Emily are have returned from their honeymoon and we have heard nothing, which I think, is a good sign. Thank you.
And thanks to Rafe for sharing the benefits of God’s Word from Psalm 119 last Sunday. Rafe is in Uganda today with our student ministries pastor, Jon Ewton and Steve Chappell, one of our other pastors. They are continuing our Movement to Multiply in partnership with Victory Living Word Church and Pastor Makumbi Johnson. Together we are putting on a training conference for 1,000 pastors. The funds you have given are paying to bus in village pastors and feed them during the conference. Let’s pray for them.
Today we are concluding our series: Secrets to a Blessed Life. The secrets are found in Psalm 119. We have been learning that the powerful Word of almighty God brings incredible benefits if you will passionately study it and purposely obey it. It will bring you a blessed life. At Christ Fellowship we are all Bible, people guided by the Word.
In worship services at Christ Fellowship we practice BYOB, bring your own . . . . that’s right, Bible. Whether it is paper or digital, bring your Bible so you can follow along for yourself. If you have a Bible with you, hold it up. Open your Bible to Psalm 119. At Christ Fellowship we are devoted to the practice of engaging God individually. We do not think it is sufficient simply to come to worship services and hear sermons, although that’s a good practice too. You need to read and study the Word of God as you personally engage God on a daily basis. That’s why we provide you with a study guide each week preceding the sermon. Today you need to get a Study Guide for our new series starting next week: Spiritual Wisdom in a Foolish World, a study in 1 Corinthians.
As you aim to start 2012 well, let me strongly encourage you to put this practice into your life. There is no more important personal habit you could establish than engaging God on a daily basis in his Word and in prayer. You may have already broken all your New Year’s resolutions. Well, get back on that horse and ride. Get a Christ Fellowship Study Guide and start fresh tomorrow with day one of our series.
Personally, Psalm 119 inspires me to engage God in his Word as I see the truth that God blesses the person who engages his Word. God’s Word gives us power to live the kind of lives we want to live. This Psalm is moving, inspiring, motivating. Nearly all 176 verses address God or describe God. Meditating on this psalm will help you love and treasure the Word of God more fully which will help you know God better. The way to get closer to God is to read his book.
My prayer for you to today is that having grasped the power and benefits of God’s Word, you would choose a proper response to God’s Word. The truth is that the powerful word of almighty God brings incredible benefits if you will properly respond to it.
Over the last two weeks we have dug into the divine power and amazing benefits of God’s Word. You can access that divine power and experience those amazing benefits if you properly respond to God’s Word. Let’s review the power and benefits of God’s Word so we know what he has for us.
Two weeks ago we discovered eight names for the Word of God in Psalm 119. It commands, judges, instructs, testifies, promises and reveals. With these eight names we learned six truths about God’s Word: It is wonderful, good, true, right, eternal, and delightful. Four pictures show the power of God’s Word. It is gold, so valuable; a counselor, so wise; honey, so sweet; and a lamp, so enlightening. By understanding the eight names, knowing the six truths and seeing the four pictures you can grasp the power of God’s Word.
As Rafe shared last week, the Word of God brings incredible benefits. The Word will Bless us! Cleanse Us! Counsel Us! Revive Us! and Liberate Us! It will give us Hope, Comfort, Good Judgment, Wisdom, Guidance and Understanding! It is hard to overestimate the power and benefits of God’s Word. You can experience the power and obtain the benefits, if you properly respond to the Word. How do you properly respond to God’s Word? That’s the question we are answering today. You can properly respond to God’s Word by taking four actions, which together comprise a holistic response. The Psalmist models how to respond and if you look deeply into Psalm 119 you will discover the proper response through the writer’s example. By taking these four actions you will access the power of God’s Word and enjoy the benefits of the Word.
The first action comes from our heart, our emotions. It’s how we respond to God’s Word at an affective level. Our first response is to love the Word.
Love the Word (heart)
Multiple words, phrases and images in the Psalm open our eyes to the passion we should have for God’s Word. In your outline I’ve given you references to many verses in Psalm 119 where you can find these. The key word is “love.” It may seem like a strange word to use for God’s commands, yet the writer says in verse forty-seven:
47 for I delight in your commands because I love them. Psalm 119:47
We know love is more than an emotion, but it is a choice, a determination of value, a commitment. Can you imagine loving commands? Most of us resist commands. If you tell me not to walk on the grass, that’s the first thing I want to do. We resist more and more government regulations and rules. So how can we love God’s laws? First, the words “law” and “commandments” are broader terms that can reference all of God’s Word. They are among the eight synonyms used to describe the Scripture as a whole. Perhaps it is easier to consider how you might love God’s Word, his written revelation.
This love is so strong, so real for the Psalmist that he exclaims in verse ninety-seven:
97 Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long. Psalm 119:97
Have you ever said this out loud? Have you ever told God this in prayer? “God, I just love your Word. It is awesome. I want to spend all day meditating on it.” The Psalmist loves God’s commands more than money. He says in verse 127,
127 Because I love your commands more than gold, more than pure gold, Psalm 119:127
How can you get this kind of affection for God’s Word? Pray for it. Ask God to give you a love for his word. What we love we invest in.
Not only does the writer say he loves the Word, but he also expresses his affection with other words. He delights in God’s Word. In some ways “delight” is an even more emotive word than “love.” He says,
16 I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word. Psalm 119:16
Could you imagine putting a spoonful of your favorite dessert up to your mouth and then neglecting it? It would never happen.
The writer’s passion for God’s Word leads him to a commitment to the Word. He looks to the Word for advice and enjoys doing it. In verse 24 he says,
24 Your statutes are my delight; they are my counselors. Psalm 119:24
Think about that word “delight.” In what contexts would you use that word? In what do you delight? Last weekend I delighted in Jimmy and Emily’s wedding, being with family and friends, celebrating, seeing their joy brought me joy. I delight in a beautiful sunset. I delight in a delicious meal, which by the way I get to enjoy often because Tamara is an amazing cook and she spoils me. In what do you delight? Now imagine feeling that way about God’s Word. You can’t wait to read it. You don’t want to stop reading it. You want to study it, more and more. When you really grasp the power and benefits of the Word, you can get there. The writer says in verse 92,
92 If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction. Psalm 119:92
No matter how hard life gets, God’s Word can bring delight. In fact it often brings the most remarkable delight in the worst suffering. When you are in the hospital bed or at the jail, God’s Word takes on special power and delight.
The writer even says he rejoices in God’s promises.
62 I rejoice in your promise like one who finds great spoil. Psalm 119:162
Notice the comparison. He rejoices more than great spoil; in other words, great rewards such as a victorious army gained in that ancient day. God’s promise brings more joy than great spoil.
As a result the writer can say with great passion in verse 20
20 My soul is consumed with longing for your laws at all times. Psalm 119:20
and in verse 120,
120 My flesh trembles in fear of you; I stand in awe of your laws.
Psalm 119:120
We can respond properly to God’s Word by loving it with our emotions. How is your heart for God’s Word? Are you passionate about God’s Word? If not how can you develop a more passionate heart for God’s Word? Pray for it. Ask God to give you one. Secondly, spend more time in it. We develop a love for that in which we invest our time and energy. Give yourself to the Word and you will develop a bigger heart for it. One day you too will shout: “I love God’s Word!”
The second action that comprises a proper response to God’s Word is an act of our will, to choose the Word. Not only should we respond with our emotions, but also with our will.
Choose the Word (will)
As you read through Psalm 119, you will find many declarations where the writer affirms his intention, sometimes quite strongly. In verse 30, he says,
30 I have chosen the way of faithfulness; I have set my heart on your laws. Psalm 119:30
This is a decision, not a feeling. He has chosen to set his heart on God’s laws. We see similar declarations such as in the next verse, verse 31,
31 I hold fast to your statutes, LORD; do not let me be put to shame. Psalm 119:31
He is determined to hold fast to God’s Word. Imagine clinging to a life vest in a capsized cruise ship. He determines not to neglect or stray from God’s commands. Instead he has decided to put his trust in God’s commands. He writes in verse 66,
66 Teach me knowledge and good judgment, for I trust your commands. Psalm 119:66
He knows he can trust everything God says. We test every other opinion by what God says in His Word.
Not only has he decided to trust in God’s Word, but he has also put his hope in God’s Word. He says in verse 114,
114 You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word. Psalm 119:114
and in verse 147
147 I rise before dawn and cry for help; I have put my hope in your word. Psalm 119:147
Because his trust and hope are in the Word, he seeks God’s precepts. This is a clear decision of his will to pursue God’s commands. He determines to remember God’s Word. Listen to his own declaration in verse 93 and then near the end of the Psalm in verse 176.
93 I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have preserved my life. Psalm 119:93
176 I have strayed like a lost sheep.
Seek your servant, for I have not forgotten your commands. Psalm 119:176
If we want to experience the power and benefits of God’s Word, we must choose to direct our will to it. We must choose God’s Word: to set our heart on it, to trust it, to seek it. We must determine that we are going to give ourselves to knowing God’s Word, to read it, study it, memorize it. If you want a close relationship with God, then you must choose his Word. That choice includes the determination to learn the Word. We move now from actions with our emotions and will, to the action of our mind.
Learn the Word (mind)
The author of Psalm 119 devotes himself to learning God’s Word. Over and over he asks God to teach him his Word. For instance in verse 29, he prays,
29 Keep me from deceitful ways; be gracious to me and teach me your law. Psalm 119:29
He wants to learn God’s truth so he will follow God’s ways. This is a great prayer for each of us to pray regularly. At least twelve times the psalmist prays, “Teach me.” Ask God to teach you. For instance consider praying verse 33,
33 Teach me, LORD, the way of your decrees, that I may follow it to the end. Psalm 119:33
By his Spirit God opens our minds to understand his truth, his ways. Then we can follow him to the end. That’s what I want in my life. I want to follow God to the end. To do that each of us must learn God’s decrees. Learning requires study.
Study
Not everyone enjoyed studying. It can be a bad word for some because it brings up bad memories, but usually it was that you did not like what you were learning or the teacher. In this case you are learning God’s Word and the Holy Spirit is your teacher. If you are going to learn God’s Word, you must study. The author cries out in verse 73,
73 Your hands made me and formed me; give me understanding to learn your commands. Psalm 119:73
He asks God to give him understanding of his statues, his commands. It is by understanding God’s ways that we experience life, the blessings God has for us in his Word.
How will you learn God’s Word? You read it and study it. That’s why we provide you with a study guide every week, so you can learn God’s Word and thus experience its blessings.
In addition to study, learning involves reflection. Often in Psalm 119, the author talks about reflecting on God’s Word.
Reflect
Most commonly he uses the powerful term, “meditate.” To meditate means to consider deeply, turning it over and over. The word was used of a cow chewing its cud. If you’ve seen a cow, you know they enjoy their hay over and over. The Psalmist says in verse 15,
15 I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. Psalm 119:15
In order to meditate on a verse from God’s Word, it helps if you have memorized it. Then you can turn it over and over in your mind as you say it to yourself throughout the day, looking at it from every angle, considering each facet of the verse. Listen to the heart of the Psalmist for meditation, in verse 48 he says,
48 I reach out for your commands, which I love,
that I may meditate on your decrees. Psalm 119:48
and verse 97
97 Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long. Psalm 119:97,
finally verse 99,
99 I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statutes. Psalm 119:99
Meditation is to the soul what digestion is to the body. In this day of noise and confusion, meditation is rare, but so needful. Slow down and consider synonyms for meditation: to contemplate, ponder, muse, reflect, dwell in thought, consider, scrutinize, examine, inspect, deliberate, speculate, cogitate, study, ruminate, digest, discuss, concentrate upon, brood over, weigh, think out, apply mind to. In our hurried, loud world, quiet moments of meditation are too rare and we are the worse for it.
I love some of the other images the writer uses for reflection. He hides God’s Word in his heart. Look at verse 11,
11 I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. Psalm 119:11
In other verses he says he ponders God’s statues and considers God’s ways. Scripture should become our vocabulary so it flows into ordinary conversation. I thank God for our AWANA program that teaches our children to memorize God’s Word. As a child I did a program called Bible Memory Association, BMA, where I memorized dozens of verses. These days, I have a 4 by 6 card box in which I have hundreds of verses on note cards that I review most mornings as I meditate on God’s Word.
We apply our heart, will and mind to the Scripture so that we can obey it with all our strength. The actions of loving, choosing and learning the Word are insufficient without culminating in the point which is to obey God’s Word.
Obey the Word (strength)
A review of Psalm 119 will easily show us that to obey is the primary response we are to make to God’s Word. If we are to properly respond to the Word, we should love it, choose it and learn it, but if we stop there we are not arrived at the goal. God wants us to obey his Word.
The Psalmist is quite clear about this. Consider verse four right at the start of Psalm 119. He says plainly in direct address to God,
4 You have laid down precepts that are to be fully obeyed. Psalm 119:4
He knows that God did not give us his commands simply to admire them for their high moral quality. God did not give us his precepts simply so we would learn them or even memorize and mediate on them. Those are means to the end of obeying them.
The writer is determined to obey. He promises in verse 44,
44 I will always obey your law, for ever and ever. Psalm 119:44
He is eager to obey God. That’s the spirit we all need to have. Listen to what he says in verse 60,
60 I will hasten and not delay to obey your commands. Psalm 119:60
Wouldn’t you love to hear your kids say that to you: “mom, dad, I will hasten and not delay to obey your commands.” Don’t hold your breath. But kids, say it, just to shock your parents. Now don’t you think God would love to hear us say that to him?
Too often in Church circles I hear people admire God’s Word, but they don’t follow it. That brings up the “H” word. When you say you believe the Bible is God’s Word and you don’t read it; when you say you believe God’s commands and you don’t obey them… You know the “H” word: hypocrite. I don’t want to be one. The Psalmist said in verse 112,
112 My heart is set on keeping your decrees to the very end. Psalm 119:112
He also said he took an oath that he would follow God’s laws. He is serious. Are we? Is your heart set on keeping God’s decrees?
You see, to experience the power of God’s Word and enjoy its benefits, we must properly respond to it. How can we properly respond to God’s Word? You now know. Respond holistically with four actions, with your heart, will, mind and strength. Love it. Choose it. Learn it. And obey it. When these four actions are united, you will grow. You will know God. You will know God’s power and discover the benefits God promises in his Word.
Could you honestly cry out verse 129?
129 Your statutes are wonderful; therefore I obey them. Psalm 119:129
When you love God’s Word, you want to choose it. When you choose to give yourself to the Word, you will do what it takes to learn it. Then when you love it, choose it and learn it, you will obey. What makes me smile is knowing that then you will know spiritual power. You will know God. You enjoy the benefits of Hope, Comfort, Good Judgment, Wisdom, Guidance and Understanding.
I love many of the vivid images in this Psalm. Let me give you one last image from verse 32. The writer says,
32 I run in the path of your commands, for you have broadened my understanding. Psalm 119:32
That’s my hope for all of us at Christ Fellowship: that we will run in the path of God’s commands. What I know is that if you run that way, you will find such a rich and wonderful life.
The New Testament tells us that Jesus Christ himself is the Word of God. He is the ultimate path to God. Our church logo is the path to the cross. The book of John says Jesus himself is the way to God through the cross. It is through trusting in Jesus Christ that we know God personally as our Father. If you have never done that, I urge you to trust in Jesus Christ. Then the written Word will come alive to you in new ways as your eyes are opened by the Spirit of God who comes to live in you.
Guys, let’s make all of this really practical. I’m guessing that most of you agree that your life would be better if you properly responded to God’s Word. Your life would be better and you would more please God if you loved, learned and obeyed God’s Word. What is stopping you?
At Christ Fellowship we want to give you all the tools and opportunities we can to help you grow spiritually. Our mission is to be people helping people find and follow Christ. We are all aiming to engage in four core practices depicted in the X, to engage God individually, connect in a group, worship in a gathering and impact others. Today I am focusing our attention on the first two: engage God individually and connect in a group. Both are crucial to you learning the Word of God. To apply this message well, you need to develop the practice of engaging God daily in his Word and the practice of studying God’s Word regularly in a group. To help you we have the new study guide available today. It starts tomorrow. The series is Spiritual Wisdom in a Foolish World.
But right now I want to talk about connecting in a group where you can grow in God’s Word. Pull out your Connection Guide. If you need to, share with your neighbor. Then grab a connection card. If you need one, raise your hand and an usher will get one to you. It is very easy to join a group and right now is a great time to do it. Just fill out the Connection Card with your interests and put it in the offering in just a minute. Our primary groups are life groups which meet all over the area at many different times. You see some online and some in Spanish. Then check out page 10 and 11. These are new. We are offering study groups on Tuesday nights. Because this is new we have had some confusion. So pay attention! This Tuesday we are offering the opening seminar. I’m teaching it. That should settle it for you. You are coming. Seriously, I will introduce the whole season of study groups by sharing how to make practical life decisions using the WISDOM process which is also the learning engine for most of the courses. We will have samples of all the course materials and you can meet the facilitators on Tuesday night to help you decide which study group you want to do this time.
In addition to study groups, you may want to consider Financial Peace University with Dave Ramsey. Finances and economy are huge issues and the results from this program have been dramatic for people in reducing debt and learning to really live on a budget. We also have great men and women’s groups. Then don’t miss the care groups for yourself or someone you love: Celebrate Recovery, Grief Share and Divorce Care as well as Encourage. Students and kids also have groups. Don’t miss out for yourself or for your kids. The final page shows groups for young adults because they are the most important! Now don’t tell me there was not a group for you. So which one will you choose? Get out your Connection Card and make a choice so you can learn God’s Word. We will all wait for you. No worries. In fact the ushers are locking the doors until everyone has filled out a card, but take your time.
Seriously, in a moment we will take our offering, but let me pray for you now as you consider what God would have you to do. If you are not connected in some group with other believers, then connect in a group. You will grow.
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