When the Christian Goes to School
Part 13
Sermon Series: A Word about the Word
Date: June 8, 2003 P.M. Service
Place: Allendale Baptist
Text: Psalm 119:97-104
Introduction
In the last few weeks our family, like many others in our community have been caught up in High School graduation. It brings a close to one section of a young man or young woman’s life to begin a new exciting and challenging phase.
It amazes me how some people love school and some care very little, and even the thought brings great horror to some.
Some have a great love and passion for learning and seem to pursue it until the very end of life almost.
The psalmist in this section of chapter 119 uses words that describe education and learning. He talks about “being made wiser”, and “having more understanding.”
For the Christian, the child of God as we grow in our relationship and grow closer in our daily walk with the Lord, there will be times of learning or schooling that will come to us in our lives.
Even within the Christian community a great premium is placed on education and higher learning.
The Christian by his very nature is a student, a life long learner. The word used to describe the early followers of Jesus was a “disciple”, which means learner. A disciple is a student, going to school at the feet of Jesus and we really never graduate from this school.
This section of Scripture tells us that in a world that places great significance on education and wisdom, that the greatest wisdom and education comes from the Word of God. But it is sad to say the world does not hold to the same view and has banished the Word of God as any form of textbook in our classrooms.
This book that you claim to believe and treasure has had a phenomenal impact upon the laws of the Western world and upon more lives that any other book in history.
The Word of God is a vast source of learning and that seemed to be God’s intention.
The grand theme of these first 4 verses seems to be
I. Scholastic Excellence
Someone has said a person who is content with complacency or just plain lazy people that never do their best never make a lasting impact on the world.
As Christians, whether in learning, in business or being a housewife, we should desire excellence, giving and doing our very best.
We should not be content to be like everyone else or just to be average.
We see 2 emphases here in these verses…
A. Concentration
1. v.97 “O how I love Thy law! It is my meditation all the day.”
2. To meditate takes concentration on our part. And the psalmist seems to be saying there is not a casual pursuit for him in this area.
3. His daily Bible reading is not just getting through a few verses to get it out of the way.
4. It is amazing as we consider the depth and fullness of God’s Word, but also the simplicity of it all.
5. The Bible holds the keys to a purposeful, meaning satisfying life. But also holds within it such a simplicity that even a small child can understand.
6. That for example Luke 19:10; “The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which is Lost.”
a. There is not a two syllable word in that entire verse. (Unless you are from East Texas and have a slow Southern draw.)
The psalmist loves the Word of God. He concentrated on it because he loved it.
When we concentrate on the Word of God there will come in our lives…
B. Confirmation vv. 98-100
1. “Thou through Thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies; for they are ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers; for Thy testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts.”
2. When we concentrate on the Word of God it will make us wiser.
3. In the OT one of the definitions of the word wisdom is the ability to do something.
4. The wisdom that God gives to us is the ability to live a godly life; a life that will bring honor and glory to Him.
C. H. Spurgeon, the prince of preachers says of this passage; “let us observe two things. First, it is first person. ‘O, how I love.’ The psalmist does not say everyone ought to love. He says, ‘O, how I love thy law’. Not only is it first person, but notice it is present tense. The psalmist does not say ‘O how I used to love thy word’, nor does he say ‘O how I will love thy word’. Nor does he say, ‘when I get my affairs settled, when my ship comes in, when my circumstances change, then I will love thy law.’ We will never go astray doing what God says.”
The last 4 verses of this section give a…
II. Significant Expression
When we obey the Word of God and meditate on His testimonies, and when we have stood upon its foundation, there are 4 significant expressions.
First is…
A. Purity
1. v.101; “I have refrained my feet from every evil way, that I might keep Thy word.”
2. If we are to truly keep the Word of God, we must let go of evil.
3. And the reason most folks never experience growth and satisfaction in their Christian live is they tried to keep a holy word in an unholy life.
4. The word refrain means to “hold back.”
5. The psalmist says he makes a special effort to avoid sin in his life.
Next we see the psalmists …
B. Persistence
1. v.102; “I have not departed from thy judgments, for thou hast taught me.”
2. The psalmist says he has stayed by the stuff.
3. One of the greatest examples of this principle of persistence is Daniel.
4. The Bible says he “purposed in his heart that he would not defile his body.”
5. Daniel never had to go back and decide if he was going to be obedient to God’s Word. He had settled that and was determined to stick with his commitment to the Lord.
Next we see the psalmist…
C. Preference
1. v. 103; “How sweet are thy words unto my taste; yea sweeter than honey to my mouth.”
2. There is nothing more satisfying to a hungry believer’s spiritual stomach that the Word of God.
3. But notice he makes no distinction between the Historical books, Wisdom Literature or the Prophetic .
4. He says it is all the Word of God and I love it all.
To a saved person it does not matter from which Book you turn to… We love it when we read it, hear it and especially when we obey it.
Then last we see his…
D. Perception
1. v. 104; “Through thy precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way.”
2. The psalmist’s perception of the Word of God is: If God says, stay away from it, I will stay away from it. If God says do it, he will do it.
3. Very plainly he is stating God’s Word is the source and the secret of his life.
God has given us the instructions.
In His Word, He has given us a pattern of holy living.
The psalmist says in this section, God’s Word will help us to a good head- to gain a greater wisdom.
And it will help us to a good heart- because of this knowledge he has a passion to do and obey God’s Word.
So it leaves me to ask this question: How is your heart and your head?
Invitation
