HoHum:
Have children come up and do Children’s Minute. Objects: A First Aid Kit
A first aid kit is a very important thing to have around. We should all have a first aid kit in our home, in our work place, and in our car. We have several of them around the church so that they will be handy if someone gets hurt. What are some of the things you might expect to find in a first aid kit? Take out some things and talk about them.
The Bible is a lot like a first aid kit. It has the answer to all of the hurts that we have in our life. If we get into a scrape, the Bible has the answer. If someone makes a cutting remark and it really hurts us, the Bible has the answer. If we have a burning question and just don’t know what to do, the Bible has the answer. It is important to have God’s first aid kit and to know how to use it. The Bible says, “My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life.” Knowing how to use God’s first aid kit will save your life! http://www.sermons4kids.com/FirstAid.htm
WBTU:
To comfort is to lessen the sadness or sorrow of someone and to strengthen by inspiring with hope and restoring a cheerful outlook. Basically Psalm 119:50 is saying that comfort comes from the Bible. Visiting a young man in jail and asked him what he was doing with his time. Said that he was spending much time reading and studying the Bible. He said, “The Bible brings me comfort.”
Thesis: The comfort from the Bible is...
For instances:
A divine Comfort
“When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul.” Psalms 94:19. Where do we learn and know about God’s consolation, God’s promises? In the Bible. The comfort that this world brings vanishes in a moment. Some try going to friends, family or counselors to get comfort from their afflictions. While this is helpful, these comforters are nothing compared to the comfort that comes from the Lord. Humanity has never understood the true nature of misery, which is sin; and so they never understand the true nature of comfort, which is Christ. When Benjamin Parsons lay dying, his preacher came to visit him. The preacher asked, “How are you today?” Mr. Parsons answered – “My head is resting sweetly on three pillows – infinite power, infinite love, infinite wisdom!”
God’s comfort is better than any others and we find that comfort in the Bible. God’s comfort is more powerful because the Bible is more powerful than anything the world has to offer.
A strong comfort
“Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged.” Hebrews 6:17, 18, NIV.
Other comforts are weak and are not affliction proof, nor death proof, nor judgment proof. The comforts of the Word of God endure forever, and the covenant of God through Christ will not fail us, whether we are living or dying.
A needed comfort
In the Bible we see that God’s presence will be with us in our sufferings. “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me...” Psalms 23:4, NIV. “He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.” Psalms 91:15, NIV. From the NT- “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles...” 2 Corinthians 1:3, 4, NIV. “God, who comforts the downcast...” 2 Corinthians 7:6, NIV. The world deserts those who are in poverty, disgrace, and suffering. God dwells with those who are in poverty, disgrace and suffering. We call God our heavenly Father. In the family if one child is sick, what does a parent do? Pay no attention to the sick child. No, that child is given special attention. Our Father is good and as a good father he pays special attention to those who are suffering.
An eternal comfort
Southern comfort is the name of a liquor that promises to bring comfort. However, what happens when this liquor runs out, the comfort ends.
When this life is over, our suffering will be gone. As God’s children, we will be with the Lord. ““Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.” John 17:24, NIV. Our comfort is eternal. “After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord for ever. Therefore encourage each other with these words.” 1 Thessalonians 4:17, 18, NIV.
A preserving comfort
A few years ago I did a study on when Moses said: “But now, please forgive their sin--but if not, then blot me out of the book you have written.”” Exodus 32:32, NIV. What is Moses saying? Is he merely saying that if God is unwilling to forgive the Israelites sin then God can take Moses’ earthly life? More than that. God has a book of life and if our name is blotted out of that book then we will experience the second death. What is the second death? “But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars--their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulphur. This is the second death.”” Revelation 21:8, NIV. Moses is telling God to take away his life eternally.
In vs. 50 the psalmist is telling us that God’s promise preserves his life. More than just earthly life but also referring to eternal life. God’s promise preserves our lives both now and forevermore. To what promise is this referring? One main promise (salvation) that contains many other promises. NT helps us out:
A) The promise of the forgiveness of sin. We have no solid comfort in this life until we know that our sin is forgiven. We have no true cure for our sorrows until we know that we are removed from God’s wrath. “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see (eternal) life, for God’s wrath remains on him.”” John 3:36, NIV. Only saved from God’s wrath through Jesus Christ. “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,” “Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!” Romans 5:1, 9, NIV. How can I be saved from God’s wrath? How can I be justified through the blood of Jesus Christ and by faith? Give plan of salvation and mention invitation hymn
B) The promise of eternal life. Knowing that we are going to heaven comforts against troubles, sicknesses, and earthly wants. Everlasting joy enables us to endure the sufferings of this life. In heaven all of our fears and sorrows shall end, and all tears will be wiped from our eyes. ““Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven.” Luke 6:23
A reviving comfort (NASB- Your word has revived me)
The Word of God is the source of spiritual life and vitality. The Hebrew word means, “cause me to live.” If the psalmist needed ongoing revival, how much more do we! The source of such revival is vital contact with God through His life-giving Word. If we know Christ as our Savior, but are going through a difficult or dry time, seek God through His Word. God will use it to revive us.
So What? 3 things
1. Be thankful that we have the Scriptures in our hands
“My soul is consumed with longing for your laws at all times.” “How I long for your precepts!” Psalms 119:20, 40, NIV. “I open my mouth and pant, longing for your commands.” Psalms 119:131, NIV. In ancient days the written Word was only available to a few. The common man had to wait for days of worship to hear or read the Word. Now, how many copies do we have in our own language in our own homes?
2. Hear, read, meditate on the Scriptures
Ps 119:15, 78* I meditate on your precepts. Ps 119:23* Your servant will meditate on your decrees. Ps 119:27 Let me understand the teaching of your precepts. Ps 119:48* I lift up my hands to your commands, which I love, and I meditate on your decrees. Ps 119:97* Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long. Ps 119:99* I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statutes. Ps 119:148* My eyes stay open through the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promises.
I know that the Bible reading plan is no longer in the bulletin, ran out. In 2016 we are going to encourage everyone to participate in the Bible reading plan in the Lookout magazine. Also be in the bulletin. Use this plan to read through the Bible in 12 months. (The plan covers 300 days, can skip on Sundays.) Readings for each day consist of four passages: • one from the Gospels • one from other New Testament books • one from the Wisdom books (Job–Ecclesiastes) • one from other Old Testament books
3. Obey the Scriptures
“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it--he will be blessed in what he does.” James 1:22-25
“This has been my practice: I obey your precepts.” Psalms 119:56, NIV.
