WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:15.599 Hi, my name is George Sinclair. I'm the lead pastor of Church of the Messiah. 00:00:15.599 --> 00:00:20.480 ! It is wonderful that you would like to check out some of the sermons done by Church of the Messiah, 00:00:20.480 --> 00:00:25.679 either by myself or some of the others. Listen, just a couple of things. First of all, would you pray for us 00:00:25.679 --> 00:00:32.159 that we will open God's Word well to His glory and for the good of people like yourself? 00:00:32.159 --> 00:00:37.359 The second thing is, if you aren't connected to a church and if you are a Christian, 00:00:37.359 --> 00:00:42.159 we really, I would really like to encourage you to find a good local church where they believe the 00:00:42.159 --> 00:00:48.799 Bible, they preach the gospel, and if you have some trouble finding that, send us an email. We will do 00:00:48.799 --> 00:00:55.120 what we can to help connect you with a good local church wherever you are. And if you're a non-Christian, 00:00:55.119 --> 00:01:00.320 checking us out, we're really, really, really glad you're doing that. Don't hesitate to send us 00:01:00.320 --> 00:01:05.280 questions. It helps me actually to know, as I'm preaching, how to deal with the types of things 00:01:05.280 --> 00:01:07.759 that you're really struggling with. So God bless. 00:01:07.760 --> 00:01:20.080 Let's bow our heads in prayer. Father, we give you thanks and praise that you have created us. We 00:01:20.080 --> 00:01:25.760 give you thanks and praise that you are a God who speaks. We thank and praise you that you have made 00:01:25.760 --> 00:01:31.840 us as human beings to speak, to listen, to use language, not only to each other, but also to you. 00:01:31.840 --> 00:01:36.320 And we give you thanks and praise that in your word written, you have spoken to us. 00:01:37.120 --> 00:01:43.040 We ask, Father, that your Holy Spirit would move with gentle power in each one of us today, 00:01:43.760 --> 00:01:51.680 that we might treasure more and more your word, read your word more and more, ponder your word more 00:01:51.680 --> 00:01:58.160 and more, and do what you tell us to do in your word. And we ask these things in the name of Jesus, 00:01:58.160 --> 00:02:02.000 your Son and our Savior. Amen. Please be seated. 00:02:04.080 --> 00:02:12.159 So this isn't a therapy session. It's a sermon. But people who know me know that one of my weaknesses 00:02:12.159 --> 00:02:18.879 is that I'm not very good at having difficult conversations. I'm a bit of a difficult conversation 00:02:18.879 --> 00:02:26.879 avoider. And in particular, I'm, I mean, I guess there's some conversations that I'd be fine with, 00:02:26.879 --> 00:02:30.639 for instance, like asking for money. That's not something which is necessarily difficult 00:02:31.439 --> 00:02:36.639 for me, for the church, or for some other worthy, you know, project. But I'm not very good at having a 00:02:36.639 --> 00:02:42.799 conversation where I have to issue a godly rebuke, to tell somebody that what they're doing is quite 00:02:42.799 --> 00:02:46.959 wrong. And because I love and care for them, and I want to see them flourish, they need to really take 00:02:46.959 --> 00:02:52.879 it into, take it on. I'm not very good at that. And as some of you know, that over the last couple of 00:02:52.879 --> 00:02:58.319 weeks, I have had to have a conversation like that. I'm not with somebody in the church. I'm connected to 00:02:58.319 --> 00:03:03.039 other churches and other organizations, and I'm canon of church planning and all that. So it's, 00:03:03.039 --> 00:03:06.479 but a couple of people, I didn't want to go into the details, because it should be private, 00:03:06.479 --> 00:03:10.719 but they knew that I was going to have this conversation, got cancelled, rescheduled. 00:03:11.359 --> 00:03:16.719 And I asked people to pray for me, because it's not something which I'm naturally very good at. 00:03:17.599 --> 00:03:23.039 And one of the things, about an hour, maybe an hour and a half before I had that conversation, 00:03:23.039 --> 00:03:29.439 I got a text from one of the people praying for me. And it was a text, which just was a quote of a 00:03:29.439 --> 00:03:36.239 Bible text. And it was such a spectacular word for me. It was such a help to get that Bible text. 00:03:37.280 --> 00:03:41.759 It just, it really encouraged me. It made me realize I was doing the right thing, and I had 00:03:41.759 --> 00:03:47.519 the right heart. And I read it several times between getting that text and having that conversation. 00:03:47.519 --> 00:03:52.959 And just thank God for the text and prayed into it. And it just really spoke to me. It was very, 00:03:52.959 --> 00:04:00.159 very helpful. One of the things you could pray for me is that on Sunday mornings, as I'm working on the 00:04:00.159 --> 00:04:05.840 sermon throughout the week, I start always on a Monday, usually I start on the Monday, reading the 00:04:05.840 --> 00:04:12.079 text. And one of the things I pray is that as I'm preparing, as I'm studying the Bible, preparing to 00:04:12.080 --> 00:04:20.160 speak, I ask that the Lord would speak to my heart through the text. And by heart, I'm not meaning my 00:04:20.160 --> 00:04:26.480 emotions only, I mean the biblical sense of heart, which is the very center of who I am, which is out 00:04:26.480 --> 00:04:33.759 where my mind emerges, my will, my emotions, my affections, my desires, all of that flows out of 00:04:33.759 --> 00:04:39.840 my center, my heart. And I ask that the Lord would speak to me in his word, to my heart. 00:04:39.839 --> 00:04:48.079 And I think every week he does. And sometimes it shows up in the sermon. But once again, because 00:04:48.079 --> 00:04:53.199 this isn't a therapy session, but a sermon, sometimes it never shows up in the sermon, because it's 00:04:53.199 --> 00:04:59.120 just addressing something very personal in my life. Maybe making some sin I need to repent of, 00:04:59.120 --> 00:05:05.839 a blind spot that I've become aware of, maybe sometimes an infusion of joy or hope. But I ask 00:05:05.839 --> 00:05:11.039 every week that the Lord would speak to my heart through his word, and that when I preach, I would 00:05:11.039 --> 00:05:16.000 be able to have the word speak to your heart. And if you would pray into that, that would be very, 00:05:16.000 --> 00:05:21.199 very good, if you're trying to think of how to pray for me week in and week out. Now, I mention that 00:05:21.199 --> 00:05:26.559 because all of us have that type of experience where the word speaks to us very, very deeply and 00:05:26.559 --> 00:05:33.679 powerfully. But we also have other different types of experiences with the Bible. At times, the Bible can 00:05:33.680 --> 00:05:40.800 seem spectacularly boring. I mean, it can't be spectacularly boring. It would be drearily boring. 00:05:40.800 --> 00:05:45.519 And sometimes for us, if we're honest about the Bible, we find it incomprehensible. And sometimes we 00:05:45.519 --> 00:05:50.480 find the Bible offensive and don't quite know what to do with it, or extremely puzzling. 00:05:51.759 --> 00:05:59.199 I mention all of that because today we're going to look at Psalm 119. Not all of it. It's 176 verses. 00:05:59.199 --> 00:06:05.839 Um, Morris asked me the other day, should he print all 176 verses in the announcement that goes out? 00:06:05.839 --> 00:06:12.480 And should he warn everybody to bring a packed lunch? Because the sermon was going to be exceptionally 00:06:12.480 --> 00:06:17.759 long as I went verse by verse through all 176 verses. And I said, no, we're just going to look at the 00:06:17.759 --> 00:06:31.120 first 16 verses. But the Psalm 119 is a love poem, a love prayer, a meditation upon the beauty of God and 00:06:31.120 --> 00:06:37.360 the beauty of his word, and its wonderful power and the spectacular place it can have in our lives. 00:06:37.360 --> 00:06:47.360 That's what the Psalm is all about. It's a 176 verse meditation and exaltation in God, the God who is 00:06:47.360 --> 00:06:53.040 there, who speaks, speaks by his word, and that we as his people get to hear his word and have that 00:06:53.040 --> 00:06:57.840 word have a role in our lives. And that means it's not just the parts that speak directly to our heart 00:06:57.840 --> 00:07:03.199 in a way that we can think of a time, like I could tell you that time just a couple of weeks ago, 00:07:03.199 --> 00:07:08.000 but that I'm telling you all this because the Psalmist wants us to persevere in reading the word 00:07:08.639 --> 00:07:15.360 because of this wonderful power. So let's have a look. If you open your Bibles, it's Psalm 119. 00:07:15.360 --> 00:07:20.800 If you don't have a Bible with you, there are some here that you can use or keep as a gift from us. 00:07:22.159 --> 00:07:25.199 And if you don't have a Bible, it's going to be up on the screen, but there's something about having 00:07:25.199 --> 00:07:31.519 your own Bible. And I want the congregation to be able to look and see if I'm playing fast and loose 00:07:31.519 --> 00:07:37.039 with things and have the Bible come into your hearts for yourself. And actually, here's the, 00:07:37.039 --> 00:07:42.319 if I was to give you my own summary and my own words of the message of this Psalm, it would be this. 00:07:42.959 --> 00:07:48.479 I'm sorry it's not written up there. It's just, just listen. The triune God truly speaks, 00:07:49.120 --> 00:07:56.719 and he speaks so you will truly know him. And the more you know him, and the more you seek to know him, 00:07:56.720 --> 00:08:03.520 that the more you seek to know him, the more you will want to hear him speak. So read the Bible 00:08:03.520 --> 00:08:10.800 regularly, ponder it deeply, and do as it says. That's the big message of the, of the Psalm. That 00:08:10.800 --> 00:08:17.680 the God is, Francis Schaeffer back in the 70s wrote a famous book at the time called He is There and He is 00:08:17.680 --> 00:08:24.880 not silent. And so the triune God is there. He speaks, he speaks the truth. He speaks so you will 00:08:24.879 --> 00:08:29.680 know him, and you want to know him more. And the more you know him, the more you'll want to hear him 00:08:29.680 --> 00:08:37.039 speak to you. So read the Bible regularly, ponder it deeply, and do as he says in his word. That's 00:08:37.039 --> 00:08:42.679 sort of a big summary of it. But you can have this other summary of it, which is the very first word of 00:08:42.679 --> 00:08:47.080 the Psalm, which says the same thing. And I would, one of the reasons I actually didn't put the, 00:08:47.159 --> 00:08:52.200 my summary up there is I'd rather have you memorize the first verse, because that's God's word. 00:08:52.200 --> 00:08:57.680 I gave you a summary. It's better if you heard God's word than my word. But one of the, one of 00:08:57.680 --> 00:09:03.060 the things I tried to pray into this week about my sermon is I could spend all this time explaining 00:09:03.060 --> 00:09:08.020 different problems and very little time actually just having the word proclaimed. And that sort of, 00:09:08.360 --> 00:09:14.180 I, in attempting to, to help the text, I'd undermine it. I want you to know God's word. I want you to 00:09:14.180 --> 00:09:19.780 all hear it yourself. So look at this first verse, which is in many ways is a, is another, is, is the 00:09:19.779 --> 00:09:27.299 summary of the whole Psalm. It goes like this. Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk 00:09:27.299 --> 00:09:34.079 in the law of the Lord. Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord. 00:09:34.179 --> 00:09:39.720 So the word blessed, for some of you who don't know what it means, we get confused by it. Blessed means 00:09:39.720 --> 00:09:47.939 that God moves and does something with power in the life of a person. And the way he works in power 00:09:47.940 --> 00:09:54.960 in the life of a person can be either something to do with preparing you for eternity and making 00:09:54.960 --> 00:10:01.080 you right with God, or it can be something that has to do with your, just the, the current world 00:10:01.080 --> 00:10:07.320 that we live in, or it can be a bit of both. So a bit of a surprising thing. One of the ways to be 00:10:07.320 --> 00:10:11.620 blessed, I was thinking about that this week because I had a couple of things that came up this week that 00:10:11.620 --> 00:10:17.960 humbled me. And I'm, I'm, I'm a normal fallen, sinful human being, and I don't find being humbled 00:10:17.960 --> 00:10:22.560 a pleasurable experience, but I realized that's one of the ways that God blessed me. 00:10:23.899 --> 00:10:31.460 Pride isn't a blessing, being humbled is a blessing. Because humility is, is, is, is, we're made to be 00:10:31.460 --> 00:10:36.980 humble, right? But so it, you know, it could be, you know, you could, the blessing, the ability to 00:10:36.980 --> 00:10:42.940 thrive. So it's God does something that leads you to thrive. And it could be thriving in a sense of, 00:10:42.940 --> 00:10:48.440 of, you know, of a deeper life of prayer, reading his word, of humility, of a better ability to use 00:10:48.440 --> 00:10:53.720 your spiritual gifts. It could also be a blessing of the, the normal, just created order. He blesses 00:10:53.720 --> 00:11:00.200 you with finances, with a promotion, with a house, with, with health, with strength. And it can be one 00:11:00.200 --> 00:11:05.360 or the other, or a bit of both. And so that's what this is saying. Blessed, it's a, something that God is 00:11:05.360 --> 00:11:13.300 doing are those whose way is blameless, who walk. And, and walk here just means how you do your day, 00:11:13.539 --> 00:11:18.759 right? How you do your day, moment to moment throughout the day, who do your day in the law 00:11:18.759 --> 00:11:26.800 of the Lord. And it uses the, the idea here that the, the Lord has spoken and created the law. And 00:11:26.800 --> 00:11:31.440 we'll talk about that in a moment. But there's an important thing here that you need to understand 00:11:31.440 --> 00:11:38.040 just off the beginning. And I know this could get people off on a tangent, but one of the common 00:11:38.040 --> 00:11:46.360 problems that we human beings have is that we doubt that God's word is connected to our thriving. 00:11:47.720 --> 00:11:52.680 So if you just went up the hill a little bit to the church, just up the hill, if you went into that 00:11:52.680 --> 00:11:56.580 church on a Sunday morning, you would see for pride of place in the, in the front of the church, 00:11:56.580 --> 00:12:01.940 a huge gay pride flag. And if you talk to the people in that church, they'd probably try to tell 00:12:01.940 --> 00:12:06.300 you that the Bible doesn't say what the Bible really says, but that the Bible is just very clear 00:12:06.300 --> 00:12:12.940 on this particular issue. But if, if you really pressed underneath all of that would be a sense 00:12:12.940 --> 00:12:20.620 that you have thriving and you have God's word. And sometimes God's word works against thriving. 00:12:20.620 --> 00:12:26.659 And as good Canadians, if you have to choose between thriving and God's word, choose thriving. 00:12:27.940 --> 00:12:32.560 But this text, it's very, look at it again, blessed are those whose way is blameless, 00:12:32.860 --> 00:12:37.700 who walk in the law of the Lord. It shows here that that's never a choice that we have to make. 00:12:38.440 --> 00:12:46.500 That God's, God works with his word. It's the power of, that his power to come into our lives, 00:12:46.500 --> 00:12:53.679 to help us to thrive, works with his word speaking. And as his word speaks, it works with this power 00:12:53.679 --> 00:12:58.659 that comes from God for our thriving. It's never a choice that we have to make. I mean, we can look 00:12:58.659 --> 00:13:03.779 at it and puzzle over it and ponder over it and come and ask others in your small group or your, 00:13:03.779 --> 00:13:08.820 you know, your spiritual mentors or your pastor about how to, you know, how to, how, how to, 00:13:09.200 --> 00:13:14.000 you know, how do these things work together? How does generosity work with me thriving financially? 00:13:14.000 --> 00:13:18.120 You know, how to, I mean, being financially generous. How does, how does the Bible's word on, 00:13:18.159 --> 00:13:24.120 on sexuality help me to thrive sexually? Like we can be puzzled about it, but, but God's word is 00:13:24.120 --> 00:13:29.039 saying right off the beginning, we never have to make that choice. God has this power to make us thrive. 00:13:29.639 --> 00:13:35.000 And he has, he speaks his word and the two of them work completely and utterly together in harmony. 00:13:35.000 --> 00:13:39.039 They help each other. And that's this fundamental idea of the scriptures. 00:13:39.039 --> 00:13:46.099 Now, before we go any further, there's a couple of problems that some people have with all of this. 00:13:46.179 --> 00:13:51.539 Like if you look at it again, blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord. 00:13:51.599 --> 00:14:02.339 And the first one is just this whole idea of, of law. Like, I mean, you know, if, if we were honest, 00:14:02.339 --> 00:14:06.379 I mean, I know there's some lawyers in the room and they might actually really like the word law, 00:14:06.379 --> 00:14:13.179 but for most Canadians, they'd probably say, I wish I could have gone back in time and just had a bit of a conversation with the psalmist. 00:14:13.179 --> 00:14:16.559 But forget about that for a moment, because it's not just the psalmist, it's ultimately God. 00:14:16.860 --> 00:14:22.700 But we wish that we could say to God, you know, God, pick a better word than law. 00:14:23.519 --> 00:14:25.600 Like, it's not very attractive. 00:14:27.659 --> 00:14:31.320 Seems a bit, I don't know, like legalistic, a bit judgmental. 00:14:31.320 --> 00:14:35.260 It's not something that Canadians are going to, going to, going to resonate with. 00:14:35.820 --> 00:14:38.220 And that's the, that's the first thing. 00:14:39.700 --> 00:14:46.160 And, and, and we'll, we'll, we'll deal with that, you know, a little bit in a moment. 00:14:46.980 --> 00:14:52.520 But the, the other idea that we have problems with is, okay, George, the Bible just says that, 00:14:52.519 --> 00:14:56.419 but you don't have to, you shouldn't believe it just because the Bible says it, should you? 00:14:57.199 --> 00:15:01.439 And, you know, if you're a Christian, you, you should believe it because the Bible says it. 00:15:01.519 --> 00:15:04.360 But if you're outside of the Christian faith trying to understand it, 00:15:04.860 --> 00:15:07.980 or even if you're within the Christian faith and you'd never thought about it, 00:15:08.679 --> 00:15:13.620 I don't have the time to sort of, I mean, it would be a whole other talk just to do this. 00:15:13.659 --> 00:15:17.000 But here's how I would argue that this is a, in fact, true. 00:15:17.000 --> 00:15:20.740 Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord, 00:15:20.820 --> 00:15:24.460 that God does actually speak, and his speech is found in the Bible, 00:15:24.679 --> 00:15:30.820 and his speech is something that we should be walking in, we should be keeping in, and living by. 00:15:31.019 --> 00:15:34.539 And, and we don't have to just take it initially just purely by, by blind faith. 00:15:34.580 --> 00:15:35.960 And here's how I would argue for it. 00:15:36.320 --> 00:15:39.940 I would say, first of all, let's just take this as a, as what it originally was, 00:15:39.960 --> 00:15:41.919 a series of ancient texts and documents. 00:15:41.919 --> 00:15:45.959 And if we take it in particular, just the New Testament for us right now, 00:15:46.539 --> 00:15:51.539 and I take you through and try to show to you how the, the, the New Testament documents, 00:15:51.639 --> 00:15:57.099 each of the individual ancient biographies of Jesus and the letters and some of the other things, 00:15:57.500 --> 00:16:05.740 that these were written by eyewitnesses of Jesus or by people who talked to eyewitnesses. 00:16:05.740 --> 00:16:11.279 It was written when eyewitnesses were alive, that we can trust that the documents that we have in our hands 00:16:11.279 --> 00:16:14.139 are fundamentally the documents that were written back then. 00:16:14.799 --> 00:16:16.199 And that would be the first thing. 00:16:16.279 --> 00:16:18.799 And the second thing I'd say is, and if you read these documents, 00:16:18.799 --> 00:16:20.939 you get a very particular picture of Jesus. 00:16:21.559 --> 00:16:23.519 You get to see his, his great wisdom. 00:16:23.699 --> 00:16:25.000 You get to see his great insight. 00:16:25.220 --> 00:16:26.279 You get to see his humility. 00:16:26.480 --> 00:16:27.480 You get to see his love. 00:16:27.579 --> 00:16:28.819 You get to see his compassion. 00:16:29.439 --> 00:16:32.360 And even many people who aren't Christians, like Mahatma Ghani, 00:16:32.480 --> 00:16:37.199 have been often very touched with just the wisdom and the charity and the compassion of Jesus. 00:16:37.679 --> 00:16:40.439 And I said, that's going to bring you into a little bit of a conflict, 00:16:40.440 --> 00:16:44.420 which is talked about by C.S. Lewis of Lord Lunatic and Liar, 00:16:44.540 --> 00:16:49.760 because Jesus says that he is God, the Son of God, that he comes to die for his sins, 00:16:49.860 --> 00:16:51.520 that he's going to die and rise from the dead. 00:16:51.940 --> 00:16:55.300 And that would be the third thing, that all of these ancient documents 00:16:55.300 --> 00:16:59.860 and the record of other people afterwards is that Jesus did die on the cross, 00:17:00.020 --> 00:17:03.600 that he was buried, and that on the third day the tomb was empty 00:17:03.600 --> 00:17:05.380 and Jesus had risen from the dead. 00:17:05.380 --> 00:17:13.280 And because of the ancient documents and because of those other things about Jesus, 00:17:13.420 --> 00:17:16.600 it's a completely reasonable thing. 00:17:16.700 --> 00:17:19.500 I'm not saying it can be proved like mathematical certainty, 00:17:19.600 --> 00:17:20.800 but it's a very reasonable thing. 00:17:21.320 --> 00:17:26.620 In fact, it is, I would say, the most reasonable way to understand the ancient evidence 00:17:26.619 --> 00:17:31.379 and the start of the Christian faith to accept that Jesus really did die on the cross, 00:17:31.679 --> 00:17:36.139 he really was buried, and then the third day he really did rise from the dead 00:17:36.139 --> 00:17:38.159 and the tomb was empty and he appeared to people. 00:17:39.579 --> 00:17:48.639 And if that is true, then obviously that is who he is has been vindicated, 00:17:48.640 --> 00:17:52.740 and then we'd want to know what Jesus had to say about the Bible. 00:17:53.120 --> 00:17:55.480 And once again, it's beyond the time that I have right now, 00:17:55.540 --> 00:17:59.020 but at the end of the day, Jesus was a Psalm 119 person. 00:18:01.420 --> 00:18:04.740 Jesus said that the Bible was written by God for us. 00:18:04.900 --> 00:18:05.680 He believed that. 00:18:05.759 --> 00:18:08.980 He quoted it in that type of way, and that's why we trust it. 00:18:09.380 --> 00:18:12.360 Because Jesus is a Psalm 119 person, 00:18:12.680 --> 00:18:14.920 I am a Psalm 119 person. 00:18:14.920 --> 00:18:18.220 He is well worth your trust. 00:18:18.519 --> 00:18:20.019 He is well worth your obedience. 00:18:21.160 --> 00:18:23.640 And so he has told us to trust God's word, 00:18:23.740 --> 00:18:25.900 to ponder it deeply, and to do what it says. 00:18:27.680 --> 00:18:34.940 So that's why it's valid to take this when it says, 00:18:35.080 --> 00:18:37.340 blessed are those whose way is blameless, 00:18:37.420 --> 00:18:38.740 who walk in the law of the Lord, 00:18:39.019 --> 00:18:43.539 to take it that what we're hearing is an authoritative word from God 00:18:43.539 --> 00:18:44.580 when we read the Bible. 00:18:45.660 --> 00:18:50.060 And it's an authoritative word from God to us in our human situation 00:18:50.060 --> 00:18:52.580 that we should remember, 00:18:52.960 --> 00:18:55.660 that we should for our good ponder, 00:18:56.200 --> 00:18:58.380 that we should for our good seek to do, 00:18:58.920 --> 00:19:00.560 knowing that as we do this, 00:19:00.820 --> 00:19:05.360 God's power for us to thrive is also at work within us. 00:19:05.359 --> 00:19:08.579 Now, I'm only doing 16 verses, 00:19:08.579 --> 00:19:13.019 and I want to do something that helps you to read later on yourself. 00:19:13.419 --> 00:19:16.519 And what I want to let you know of is that Psalm 119 00:19:16.519 --> 00:19:20.019 has what I call the Russian novel problem. 00:19:21.299 --> 00:19:23.939 And by the Russian novel problem, I mean this. 00:19:24.000 --> 00:19:26.799 The first time when I was in university, 100 million years ago, 00:19:26.799 --> 00:19:30.700 I wasn't taking an English course or a Russian literature course, 00:19:30.759 --> 00:19:32.319 but I wanted to become better educated, 00:19:32.319 --> 00:19:35.099 so I thought I should read a book by Dostoevsky. 00:19:36.759 --> 00:19:39.279 And most of Dostoevsky's books are like this, 00:19:39.940 --> 00:19:41.200 I mean they're exaggerating a bit, 00:19:41.339 --> 00:19:43.720 they're big, fat, honking books, right? 00:19:44.019 --> 00:19:47.519 But he had one book called Crime and Punishment that's only this big, 00:19:47.579 --> 00:19:49.379 so I thought I'd start with Crime and Punishment. 00:19:50.180 --> 00:19:52.880 And so I started reading Crime and Punishment, 00:19:53.100 --> 00:19:55.400 and I'm having a real hard go with it, 00:19:55.500 --> 00:19:57.360 like really, really, really hard go with it. 00:19:57.740 --> 00:20:00.920 But I'm persisting because I want to be better informed, 00:20:01.160 --> 00:20:02.760 and it's supposed to be a brilliant book. 00:20:02.760 --> 00:20:05.180 And finally, I don't know how it is, 00:20:05.240 --> 00:20:06.820 maybe I was talking to somebody about it, 00:20:06.860 --> 00:20:08.780 but about a third of the way or halfway through the book, 00:20:08.860 --> 00:20:12.080 I realized that one of the reasons I was having a hard time reading it 00:20:12.080 --> 00:20:16.200 is I actually thought there were way more characters in the book 00:20:16.200 --> 00:20:17.180 than there actually were, 00:20:17.180 --> 00:20:19.920 because I didn't understand how Russian names worked. 00:20:21.019 --> 00:20:23.680 So I didn't realize that you could refer, 00:20:23.799 --> 00:20:26.820 in Russian you could refer to a person by their entire name, 00:20:26.960 --> 00:20:29.039 you could refer to a person as part of their name, 00:20:29.180 --> 00:20:31.220 you could refer to a person as their first name, 00:20:31.500 --> 00:20:33.700 and you could refer to a person as their nickname. 00:20:34.420 --> 00:20:37.019 So I was wondering why there were 12 characters 00:20:37.019 --> 00:20:38.640 at a certain part in time of the book 00:20:38.640 --> 00:20:42.320 when there was actually only three characters at that part of the book. 00:20:42.660 --> 00:20:45.019 And so I was always confused. 00:20:45.019 --> 00:20:48.019 So finally I realized, okay, well that's dumb of me, 00:20:48.319 --> 00:20:51.019 but how would I know that's how Russians do things? 00:20:51.099 --> 00:20:52.579 So I went back to the beginning of the book, 00:20:52.619 --> 00:20:55.460 I got out a pad of paper and a pen, 00:20:55.779 --> 00:20:58.579 and every time I came across a Russian name I wrote it down. 00:20:58.759 --> 00:21:00.079 And I started to figure out, 00:21:00.240 --> 00:21:01.660 because I talked to somebody how it worked, 00:21:02.000 --> 00:21:04.379 and so I'd write down all the names of person one, 00:21:04.480 --> 00:21:05.460 all the names of person two, 00:21:05.500 --> 00:21:06.500 and then I was able to read the book, 00:21:06.559 --> 00:21:08.480 and it's a great book and you should read it, 00:21:08.619 --> 00:21:10.879 by the way, knowing stuff like that. 00:21:10.880 --> 00:21:14.000 So the same type of thing can happen when you read Psalm 119. 00:21:14.800 --> 00:21:18.800 You can think that you're having to sort of take different things 00:21:18.800 --> 00:21:20.480 and weigh them against each other, 00:21:20.540 --> 00:21:23.280 or that there's different things going in different directions, 00:21:23.920 --> 00:21:26.800 when part of the way that Psalm 119 is structured 00:21:26.800 --> 00:21:29.040 is it's structured, I think, 00:21:29.720 --> 00:21:32.280 every verse except like eight or something 00:21:32.280 --> 00:21:34.920 are using one of eight words, 00:21:35.960 --> 00:21:39.320 different ways to understand God's speech to us, the Bible. 00:21:39.319 --> 00:21:41.599 And out of those other, I think, eight times, 00:21:41.679 --> 00:21:43.799 I might be wrong on the number, I'd have to check my notes, 00:21:43.960 --> 00:21:46.539 there's a couple of words that just show up a couple of times 00:21:46.539 --> 00:21:48.539 that basically fit with those eight, 00:21:49.099 --> 00:21:50.559 and I think there's three times 00:21:50.559 --> 00:21:52.759 where it has no mention of word whatsoever. 00:21:53.359 --> 00:21:55.259 So what we're going to do is we're going to sort of go through 00:21:55.259 --> 00:21:57.500 a bit quicker the other verses, 00:21:57.700 --> 00:22:00.019 and we're going to look at the eight different words 00:22:00.019 --> 00:22:06.059 that Psalm 119 uses to help us understand God's speech to us. 00:22:06.059 --> 00:22:07.339 So verse one, 00:22:07.339 --> 00:22:10.559 blessed are those whose way is blameless, 00:22:10.699 --> 00:22:13.299 who walk in the law of the Lord. 00:22:13.399 --> 00:22:16.599 And the word law is the Hebrew word Torah, 00:22:16.779 --> 00:22:18.299 or Torah, I can't remember how to, 00:22:18.319 --> 00:22:19.199 I don't know how to pronounce it, 00:22:19.359 --> 00:22:22.220 so don't take that I pronounced the Hebrew correctly on that. 00:22:23.099 --> 00:22:24.779 And so it could either mean 00:22:24.779 --> 00:22:26.480 the first five books of the Old Testament, 00:22:26.759 --> 00:22:29.859 it can mean what we Christians call the Old Testament, 00:22:30.500 --> 00:22:33.859 and our Jewish friends either call the Torah or the Tanakh, 00:22:33.859 --> 00:22:35.599 the entire Old Testament. 00:22:36.599 --> 00:22:39.319 And it also actually can just refer to, 00:22:39.579 --> 00:22:41.379 it refers to instruction. 00:22:42.219 --> 00:22:43.839 That's fundamentally what it means. 00:22:43.919 --> 00:22:45.919 But it's not just any old instruction, 00:22:46.179 --> 00:22:50.199 it's that God's word instructs us authoritatively, 00:22:50.259 --> 00:22:50.979 just like law, 00:22:51.379 --> 00:22:55.219 instructs us authoritatively about how we are to live. 00:22:55.699 --> 00:22:57.219 And that's one of the first words. 00:22:57.399 --> 00:22:59.619 The second word that comes up is in verse two. 00:22:59.759 --> 00:23:00.259 Look at it. 00:23:00.259 --> 00:23:03.299 Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, 00:23:03.379 --> 00:23:05.500 who seek him with their whole heart. 00:23:05.920 --> 00:23:07.460 So you see, this is really important, 00:23:07.559 --> 00:23:08.460 because it's not as if, you know, 00:23:08.500 --> 00:23:09.279 you have the law bit, 00:23:09.319 --> 00:23:10.519 and you have the testimonies bit, 00:23:10.559 --> 00:23:12.680 and you have to figure out how they balance each other, 00:23:12.740 --> 00:23:14.900 and they're not going in different directions. 00:23:15.539 --> 00:23:19.420 These are just eight different word images or pictures, 00:23:19.599 --> 00:23:21.500 all trying to help us to understand 00:23:21.500 --> 00:23:23.460 this one thing that God does, 00:23:23.519 --> 00:23:24.279 which is speak. 00:23:24.279 --> 00:23:28.500 And he's spoken in a public way 00:23:28.500 --> 00:23:30.879 through his word written, the Bible, 00:23:31.039 --> 00:23:32.480 which is an open revelation, 00:23:32.639 --> 00:23:33.779 a public revelation. 00:23:35.200 --> 00:23:37.740 And it's just eight different ways 00:23:37.740 --> 00:23:41.619 to understand the full aspect and range 00:23:41.619 --> 00:23:43.139 of what God does when he speaks. 00:23:43.740 --> 00:23:45.440 And so the word testimonies, 00:23:45.519 --> 00:23:46.740 in the original language, 00:23:46.899 --> 00:23:49.720 is God solemnly testifying 00:23:49.720 --> 00:23:51.900 as to what his will is 00:23:51.900 --> 00:23:54.960 and what is important and valuable. 00:23:55.759 --> 00:23:57.339 That's what the word testimony is, 00:23:57.339 --> 00:23:59.240 trying to communicate that when God speaks, 00:23:59.339 --> 00:24:00.620 he's communicating to us. 00:24:01.279 --> 00:24:02.740 It's a solemn thing, 00:24:03.059 --> 00:24:03.860 and he's letting you know 00:24:03.860 --> 00:24:04.920 this is really important. 00:24:05.019 --> 00:24:06.140 This is really valuable. 00:24:06.620 --> 00:24:09.039 This is really worth paying attention to. 00:24:09.539 --> 00:24:11.400 And that's what the word testimonies means. 00:24:11.539 --> 00:24:12.620 Blessed are those, verse two, 00:24:12.619 --> 00:24:14.039 who keep his testimonies, 00:24:14.459 --> 00:24:16.719 who seek him with their whole heart. 00:24:18.079 --> 00:24:20.059 And this is another thing. 00:24:20.139 --> 00:24:22.779 Just note that what the Bible keeps together, 00:24:23.059 --> 00:24:25.079 we human beings want to keep separating. 00:24:26.439 --> 00:24:28.259 It's not, I mean, there are some people, 00:24:28.619 --> 00:24:31.419 you know, when we were starting Ryle Seminary, 00:24:31.699 --> 00:24:33.919 and I talked to professors and students 00:24:33.919 --> 00:24:34.899 about this sometime, 00:24:35.359 --> 00:24:36.939 what we don't want to have 00:24:36.939 --> 00:24:39.259 is like a completely online program 00:24:39.259 --> 00:24:41.719 that you can just read text 00:24:41.720 --> 00:24:43.079 and you can live in your basement 00:24:43.079 --> 00:24:44.880 and never actually talk to people 00:24:44.880 --> 00:24:47.980 and become, you know, keyboard jihadis 00:24:47.980 --> 00:24:51.180 who fire off angry emails to people, 00:24:51.319 --> 00:24:53.319 denouncing them for minute... 00:24:53.319 --> 00:24:55.799 I just got a letter, an email the other day 00:24:55.799 --> 00:24:56.940 for a blog that I wrote 00:24:56.940 --> 00:24:58.100 for the Gospel Coalition 00:24:58.100 --> 00:25:02.500 that was such a nitpicky, dumb thing to say 00:25:02.500 --> 00:25:05.180 and making me claim 00:25:05.180 --> 00:25:06.440 like I didn't believe the Bible 00:25:06.440 --> 00:25:08.640 and was not being a faithful teacher. 00:25:08.799 --> 00:25:10.279 And gosh, that person needed 00:25:10.279 --> 00:25:11.259 to get out of their basement 00:25:11.259 --> 00:25:12.640 and actually talk to people 00:25:12.640 --> 00:25:14.180 and not be a keyboard jihadi. 00:25:14.619 --> 00:25:17.180 Like, I don't know how I'm going to respond to her 00:25:17.180 --> 00:25:18.220 because I feel like saying, 00:25:18.359 --> 00:25:20.420 get a life is my response 00:25:20.420 --> 00:25:23.859 and don't be such a, you know, 00:25:23.940 --> 00:25:26.160 a dumb nitpicker, right? 00:25:26.960 --> 00:25:28.960 Anyway, sorry, this is therapy. 00:25:29.059 --> 00:25:29.519 I'm sorry. 00:25:29.579 --> 00:25:31.339 I shouldn't have used the sermon 00:25:31.339 --> 00:25:32.420 for part of that. 00:25:32.420 --> 00:25:36.340 But the point is that you don't... 00:25:36.880 --> 00:25:39.180 Listen to Psalm 119, verse 2. 00:25:39.259 --> 00:25:40.779 Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, 00:25:40.820 --> 00:25:42.259 who seek him with all their heart. 00:25:42.779 --> 00:25:46.039 God's word and seeking him personally 00:25:46.039 --> 00:25:48.820 and relationally, they fit together. 00:25:49.820 --> 00:25:51.800 You know, it would be impossible for me 00:25:51.800 --> 00:25:53.580 to say that I want to know my wife more, 00:25:53.660 --> 00:25:55.400 but I never want her to speak to me. 00:25:55.400 --> 00:25:58.960 If every time I came home, I said, 00:25:59.080 --> 00:26:01.019 Louise, you're going to have a vow of silence 00:26:01.019 --> 00:26:02.759 and you're going to, you know, 00:26:02.800 --> 00:26:04.940 wear something that covers all of how you look 00:26:04.940 --> 00:26:06.500 for the next little bit. 00:26:06.560 --> 00:26:07.580 And yes, I really want to know. 00:26:07.660 --> 00:26:10.100 No, that doesn't work for human beings, right? 00:26:10.180 --> 00:26:13.060 So there's nothing at war with that. 00:26:13.120 --> 00:26:15.000 It's a seeking of him. 00:26:15.540 --> 00:26:17.320 The third word is really neat as well. 00:26:17.440 --> 00:26:17.780 In verse... 00:26:18.519 --> 00:26:20.000 Sorry, the third word comes up in a moment. 00:26:20.000 --> 00:26:20.700 Verse 3, 00:26:21.339 --> 00:26:24.420 Who also do no wrong, but walk in his ways. 00:26:24.779 --> 00:26:25.940 And the word ways is, 00:26:26.000 --> 00:26:28.480 I think it's either two or three times it shows up. 00:26:28.559 --> 00:26:31.480 It's one of those, you know, non-eight big words, 00:26:31.720 --> 00:26:32.460 but it's... 00:26:32.460 --> 00:26:34.599 The ways here does, in the original language, 00:26:34.740 --> 00:26:36.039 imply something written. 00:26:36.740 --> 00:26:38.200 So to get a bit of a sense, 00:26:38.259 --> 00:26:39.500 it's really like as if, in a sense, 00:26:39.539 --> 00:26:41.640 you're seeing a verbal map of something. 00:26:41.680 --> 00:26:43.119 That's behind the word ways. 00:26:43.720 --> 00:26:44.859 So verse 3, 00:26:44.960 --> 00:26:46.700 Who also do no wrong, but walk in his ways. 00:26:46.700 --> 00:26:47.240 Verse 4, 00:26:47.240 --> 00:26:51.240 You have commanded your precepts to be kept diligently. 00:26:51.480 --> 00:26:54.940 And the word precepts here is a neat word. 00:26:55.180 --> 00:26:57.380 And so it's... 00:26:57.380 --> 00:27:00.019 What it is, it's things which are very, very important, 00:27:00.180 --> 00:27:02.220 but it's a detail word, okay? 00:27:02.779 --> 00:27:05.000 So I know there's a... 00:27:05.000 --> 00:27:07.440 You know, if you take a technical writing program, 00:27:08.059 --> 00:27:11.339 you want to have somebody who's able to take instructions 00:27:11.339 --> 00:27:12.880 and give all of the details 00:27:12.880 --> 00:27:14.920 so that you can follow each step. 00:27:14.920 --> 00:27:17.340 I hate it when I try to get instructions somewhere 00:27:17.340 --> 00:27:19.259 and it's skipping five steps 00:27:19.259 --> 00:27:20.600 or it's ambiguous. 00:27:22.460 --> 00:27:24.160 Precepts is a detailed word. 00:27:24.800 --> 00:27:27.000 And the details all being important. 00:27:27.539 --> 00:27:28.960 And that's what precepts is. 00:27:29.200 --> 00:27:30.000 So verse 4, 00:27:30.080 --> 00:27:32.539 You have commanded your precepts to be kept diligently. 00:27:32.700 --> 00:27:33.300 Verse 5, 00:27:33.840 --> 00:27:36.440 Oh, that my ways may be steadfast 00:27:36.440 --> 00:27:38.000 in keeping your statutes. 00:27:38.000 --> 00:27:41.880 And the word statutes there in the original language 00:27:41.880 --> 00:27:44.000 has this idea that it really is... 00:27:44.579 --> 00:27:47.519 Like, this is like a non-negotiable law, okay? 00:27:47.640 --> 00:27:48.000 You shall... 00:27:48.519 --> 00:27:51.539 You know, you don't kill people in Canada. 00:27:51.640 --> 00:27:52.819 You're not allowed to kill people. 00:27:52.920 --> 00:27:53.920 That's like a... 00:27:53.920 --> 00:27:56.680 That's not a negotiable law in Canada 00:27:56.680 --> 00:27:58.220 that's all right to kill people. 00:27:58.480 --> 00:28:00.079 No, no, you don't kill innocent... 00:28:00.079 --> 00:28:00.920 Yeah, I should qualify. 00:28:01.039 --> 00:28:04.700 You can't kill innocent people just willy-nilly. 00:28:04.700 --> 00:28:06.640 And so, but in the word statue, 00:28:06.819 --> 00:28:09.000 it's something which is really deeply laid down. 00:28:09.240 --> 00:28:11.660 It has binding force and permanence. 00:28:12.340 --> 00:28:13.340 And then verse 6, 00:28:13.900 --> 00:28:15.279 Then I shall not be put to shame 00:28:15.279 --> 00:28:17.519 having my eyes fixed on all your commandments. 00:28:18.319 --> 00:28:23.140 And commandments is the word to help me to remember 00:28:23.140 --> 00:28:26.920 that God is in fact God and I'm not. 00:28:27.779 --> 00:28:29.819 It's the word of a superior 00:28:29.819 --> 00:28:33.319 speaking to somebody who's subordinate to the superior. 00:28:33.319 --> 00:28:36.939 So that when we're hearing God's word read to us, 00:28:37.079 --> 00:28:39.559 I am to have the attitude, the heart posture, 00:28:40.059 --> 00:28:42.519 that he is God and I'm not. 00:28:42.799 --> 00:28:43.879 He's an authority. 00:28:44.059 --> 00:28:44.839 He's the creator. 00:28:45.259 --> 00:28:46.539 I'm not an authority. 00:28:46.759 --> 00:28:47.439 I'm a creature. 00:28:47.919 --> 00:28:50.039 And when he speaks, I should listen 00:28:50.039 --> 00:28:51.220 because he's over me. 00:28:52.480 --> 00:28:53.539 Properly over me. 00:28:54.419 --> 00:28:55.960 And within it, it's... 00:28:55.960 --> 00:28:57.879 The thing which is really important about this, 00:28:57.980 --> 00:28:59.980 if you use a bit of a military analogy, 00:28:59.980 --> 00:29:03.039 what you would never want in the military... 00:29:03.039 --> 00:29:05.220 I know there's at least one person present 00:29:05.220 --> 00:29:06.160 who used to be in the military. 00:29:06.339 --> 00:29:09.519 What you would never want is 5,000 privates 00:29:09.519 --> 00:29:12.200 let loose with weapons, 00:29:12.740 --> 00:29:14.500 with no officers. 00:29:14.900 --> 00:29:16.819 That would be a nightmare, 00:29:17.539 --> 00:29:20.579 to have 5,000 privates running around with weapons. 00:29:21.019 --> 00:29:22.740 You need authority over it. 00:29:23.120 --> 00:29:24.400 You need to have officers. 00:29:24.640 --> 00:29:25.700 You need to have a mission. 00:29:25.860 --> 00:29:27.259 You need to have a chain of command. 00:29:27.259 --> 00:29:29.140 And that's all implied in here, 00:29:29.279 --> 00:29:32.220 that we should see ourselves not just as privates 00:29:32.220 --> 00:29:33.379 doing whatever we want, 00:29:33.460 --> 00:29:35.240 but that there's an authority over us. 00:29:36.079 --> 00:29:38.059 And then the next thing is in verse 7, 00:29:38.160 --> 00:29:39.960 I will praise you with an upright heart 00:29:39.960 --> 00:29:42.339 when I learn your righteous rules. 00:29:43.200 --> 00:29:44.660 And rules is a good word. 00:29:44.759 --> 00:29:47.079 It also can sometimes be translated as decisions. 00:29:47.879 --> 00:29:50.440 It means that God has in fact made certain decisions. 00:29:50.660 --> 00:29:51.839 He's made certain judgments 00:29:51.839 --> 00:29:53.579 about certain types of situations. 00:29:53.579 --> 00:29:56.559 He's made decisions around the fact 00:29:56.559 --> 00:29:59.240 that our thriving in a world with money 00:29:59.240 --> 00:30:02.759 should open the door for us to be able to make money, 00:30:03.279 --> 00:30:04.819 and that we should pray for systems 00:30:04.819 --> 00:30:06.539 that allow people to make money. 00:30:06.639 --> 00:30:09.039 But you can't thrive in terms of money 00:30:09.039 --> 00:30:11.099 and making money if you're not also generous. 00:30:11.819 --> 00:30:13.779 It's rules around sexuality. 00:30:14.019 --> 00:30:16.379 It's decisions about how these different things go 00:30:16.379 --> 00:30:20.339 if we want to thrive in the area of our sexuality. 00:30:20.339 --> 00:30:24.059 And then verse 8, I will keep your statutes. 00:30:24.139 --> 00:30:25.299 We talked about that earlier. 00:30:25.439 --> 00:30:26.819 Do not utterly forsake me. 00:30:27.299 --> 00:30:30.139 Verse 9, how can a young man or a young woman 00:30:30.139 --> 00:30:32.099 keep his way or her way pure? 00:30:32.459 --> 00:30:34.859 By guarding it according to your word. 00:30:35.699 --> 00:30:37.399 And this is the most general word. 00:30:37.500 --> 00:30:40.079 It's just emphasizing that the laws, 00:30:40.240 --> 00:30:41.419 the precepts, the commandments, 00:30:41.659 --> 00:30:42.759 they're actually words. 00:30:42.939 --> 00:30:46.939 God himself actually speaks to us with words. 00:30:47.039 --> 00:30:49.279 It's the most general of all of the words. 00:30:49.279 --> 00:30:50.920 And then there's just one more. 00:30:51.799 --> 00:30:54.339 Verse 10, with my whole heart I seek you. 00:30:54.440 --> 00:30:56.220 Let me not wander from your commandments. 00:30:56.440 --> 00:31:00.220 Verse 11, I have stored up your word in my heart 00:31:00.220 --> 00:31:02.379 that I might not sin against you. 00:31:02.399 --> 00:31:04.079 And there the word translated as word 00:31:04.079 --> 00:31:05.559 is a different word in Hebrew. 00:31:06.119 --> 00:31:08.099 And that word emphasizes, 00:31:08.339 --> 00:31:10.299 sometimes in Psalm 119, 00:31:10.420 --> 00:31:11.859 it will be translated as promise. 00:31:12.599 --> 00:31:14.599 So it's a word that emphasizes 00:31:14.599 --> 00:31:16.700 that it's not just that God is saying, 00:31:17.000 --> 00:31:18.019 don't do these things, 00:31:18.019 --> 00:31:21.119 but he's also making big promises 00:31:21.119 --> 00:31:23.639 that there's something wonderful and beautiful 00:31:23.639 --> 00:31:25.420 and anticipatory. 00:31:25.579 --> 00:31:27.139 It would be in a little bit like 00:31:27.139 --> 00:31:30.059 if you had kids or grandkids 00:31:30.059 --> 00:31:31.180 and you say, let's get in the car, 00:31:31.279 --> 00:31:32.480 we're going to go somewhere. 00:31:33.000 --> 00:31:34.940 Come on, hurry up, we're going to go somewhere. 00:31:35.400 --> 00:31:37.839 And the whole idea about the command 00:31:37.839 --> 00:31:39.319 to come into the car and go somewhere 00:31:39.319 --> 00:31:41.980 is the implication isn't going to be 00:31:41.980 --> 00:31:43.839 that you're going to go pick some kale 00:31:43.839 --> 00:31:47.019 and eat it, which would not excite most children. 00:31:47.339 --> 00:31:49.259 But maybe that you're going to McDonald's 00:31:49.259 --> 00:31:50.299 for ice cream cones. 00:31:50.459 --> 00:31:52.059 There's something in there of promise 00:31:52.059 --> 00:31:54.539 and delight in those words. 00:31:55.059 --> 00:31:57.319 And so that gives you a basic sense. 00:31:57.399 --> 00:31:58.500 In all of these cases, 00:31:59.099 --> 00:32:00.559 it's God who speaks. 00:32:01.419 --> 00:32:04.579 He speaks words to us in our human condition. 00:32:05.059 --> 00:32:07.779 He speaks words to us in our human condition 00:32:07.779 --> 00:32:10.459 so that we will desire to truly know him. 00:32:10.460 --> 00:32:12.620 And the more we truly know him, 00:32:12.680 --> 00:32:15.180 the more we will want to know him 00:32:15.180 --> 00:32:17.220 and the more we will want to hear him speak. 00:32:17.759 --> 00:32:18.779 And so because of that, 00:32:18.840 --> 00:32:20.519 we should read the word regularly. 00:32:20.819 --> 00:32:22.440 We should ponder it deeply 00:32:22.440 --> 00:32:24.340 and we should do as he says. 00:32:26.120 --> 00:32:29.940 But there's a bit of a problem for some of us. 00:32:31.200 --> 00:32:32.319 And that is this. 00:32:33.019 --> 00:32:34.420 George, could you just go back? 00:32:34.920 --> 00:32:35.819 Like, look at that. 00:32:35.960 --> 00:32:36.920 Remember you said, George, 00:32:37.019 --> 00:32:38.460 that first verse of Psalm 119 00:32:38.460 --> 00:32:41.400 is sort of a summary of the whole thing. 00:32:42.259 --> 00:32:44.720 Blessed are those whose way is blameless, 00:32:45.440 --> 00:32:47.059 who walk in the law of the Lord. 00:32:47.680 --> 00:32:49.079 And even in like verse nine, 00:32:49.160 --> 00:32:51.680 how can a young man keep his way pure 00:32:51.680 --> 00:32:53.160 by guarding it according to your word? 00:32:53.279 --> 00:32:56.440 George, so here's the problem, George, 00:32:56.559 --> 00:32:57.519 with all of what you said. 00:32:57.600 --> 00:32:59.559 You've made it sound very, very convincing. 00:32:59.759 --> 00:33:01.340 You've made it sound very, very delightful. 00:33:01.340 --> 00:33:02.200 And I should do that. 00:33:02.279 --> 00:33:04.840 But George, like I'm thinking of people, 00:33:05.200 --> 00:33:05.940 you know, sometimes people 00:33:05.940 --> 00:33:07.200 who've left the Christian faith. 00:33:07.299 --> 00:33:08.640 I think of sometimes people 00:33:08.640 --> 00:33:10.840 who talk to me from outside of the Christian faith 00:33:10.840 --> 00:33:11.620 and they just say, 00:33:11.720 --> 00:33:14.840 George, there's no way in God's earth 00:33:14.840 --> 00:33:15.960 I can ever be blameless. 00:33:16.039 --> 00:33:17.600 Like I tried, I tried, 00:33:17.700 --> 00:33:18.779 I went to church for a while 00:33:18.779 --> 00:33:20.900 and I tried to live a really, really good life. 00:33:20.960 --> 00:33:21.620 And I don't know, you know, 00:33:21.660 --> 00:33:23.299 then I, you know, then I, 00:33:23.640 --> 00:33:25.440 I just can't, you know, 00:33:25.500 --> 00:33:26.539 and God's word, 00:33:26.640 --> 00:33:27.880 you can say all of those things, 00:33:27.880 --> 00:33:30.480 but it just crushes you sometimes. 00:33:31.400 --> 00:33:32.440 And George, if you're honest, 00:33:32.640 --> 00:33:34.180 like that word blameless there, 00:33:34.299 --> 00:33:35.640 George, do you think you're blameless? 00:33:35.940 --> 00:33:39.779 I remember one person said that, 00:33:39.840 --> 00:33:41.100 George, do you think you're better than me? 00:33:41.140 --> 00:33:42.400 You think that's why you're going to go to heaven, 00:33:42.620 --> 00:33:42.920 you know? 00:33:43.160 --> 00:33:44.900 And the implication was you're not, 00:33:44.980 --> 00:33:46.380 like I know you, you're not. 00:33:48.100 --> 00:33:49.100 Well, the, they, 00:33:49.860 --> 00:33:51.620 those are really, really good concerns. 00:33:51.960 --> 00:33:53.100 It's really interesting 00:33:53.100 --> 00:33:54.640 that in the providence of God, 00:33:54.799 --> 00:33:56.680 this, the gospel text that we just read 00:33:56.680 --> 00:33:59.720 before I preached was that story, 00:33:59.840 --> 00:34:01.440 the parable that Jesus gives 00:34:01.440 --> 00:34:03.620 of the Pharisee standing off, 00:34:04.019 --> 00:34:05.620 like at a place in the temple 00:34:05.620 --> 00:34:07.019 and sort of, you know, 00:34:07.080 --> 00:34:08.960 standing there with his chest puffed up 00:34:08.960 --> 00:34:09.840 and looking really, really, 00:34:09.920 --> 00:34:11.079 really self-satisfied 00:34:11.079 --> 00:34:12.900 about how great a guy he was 00:34:12.900 --> 00:34:13.960 and how much better he was 00:34:13.960 --> 00:34:14.619 than other people 00:34:14.619 --> 00:34:16.179 and looking down his nose at people. 00:34:16.840 --> 00:34:18.519 And, and in many ways, 00:34:18.720 --> 00:34:21.139 that, that whole parable 00:34:21.139 --> 00:34:22.519 and then the tax collector, 00:34:22.639 --> 00:34:24.780 the one who's not viewed very well 00:34:24.780 --> 00:34:25.420 in society 00:34:25.420 --> 00:34:26.860 and his beating his breast. 00:34:28.900 --> 00:34:30.980 That, that word blameless and pure 00:34:30.980 --> 00:34:31.940 in some way 00:34:31.940 --> 00:34:33.460 in the original language, 00:34:33.760 --> 00:34:34.800 it, it, it, 00:34:34.800 --> 00:34:36.300 there's a great mystery 00:34:36.300 --> 00:34:38.120 and a great promise in that word. 00:34:38.680 --> 00:34:40.540 Because I, I guess I would say, 00:34:40.920 --> 00:34:43.820 I am, I am blameless. 00:34:44.519 --> 00:34:46.320 Now, don't roll your eyes. 00:34:47.460 --> 00:34:48.860 The original word 00:34:48.860 --> 00:34:50.800 is, is capturing something. 00:34:51.480 --> 00:34:53.160 It's capturing not just, 00:34:53.159 --> 00:34:55.139 it implies the need 00:34:55.139 --> 00:34:56.000 for forgiveness 00:34:56.000 --> 00:34:58.559 and being forgiven. 00:35:00.779 --> 00:35:01.759 And so, you see, 00:35:01.819 --> 00:35:02.299 in some ways, 00:35:02.359 --> 00:35:04.199 that parable that Jesus talked, 00:35:04.759 --> 00:35:05.139 gave, 00:35:05.399 --> 00:35:07.279 is a, a, a window 00:35:07.279 --> 00:35:10.000 into two different ways 00:35:10.000 --> 00:35:11.719 of coming to the word. 00:35:12.420 --> 00:35:14.059 It's on one level 00:35:14.059 --> 00:35:15.379 because he hadn't died 00:35:15.379 --> 00:35:16.159 on the cross yet. 00:35:16.239 --> 00:35:17.339 It's a way to understand 00:35:17.339 --> 00:35:18.079 two different ways 00:35:18.079 --> 00:35:18.940 of reading the Old Testament. 00:35:19.659 --> 00:35:21.119 But even after the death 00:35:21.119 --> 00:35:22.119 and resurrection of Jesus, 00:35:22.119 --> 00:35:23.599 it's two different ways 00:35:23.599 --> 00:35:24.339 to be a Christian. 00:35:25.779 --> 00:35:26.739 And one way 00:35:26.739 --> 00:35:28.579 is that you read texts like this 00:35:28.579 --> 00:35:29.519 and you, you think 00:35:29.519 --> 00:35:30.639 you've got to be blameless. 00:35:31.440 --> 00:35:33.279 And you, you try to pretend 00:35:33.279 --> 00:35:34.259 that you're blameless. 00:35:35.219 --> 00:35:37.259 And, and that only, 00:35:37.480 --> 00:35:38.659 all it does is make you 00:35:38.659 --> 00:35:39.539 into a phony. 00:35:39.940 --> 00:35:41.440 All it does is make you 00:35:41.440 --> 00:35:42.659 into somebody who 00:35:42.659 --> 00:35:44.259 does things 00:35:44.259 --> 00:35:45.759 and pushes people away 00:35:45.760 --> 00:35:47.580 so they can't actually see 00:35:47.580 --> 00:35:48.840 what's going on 00:35:48.840 --> 00:35:50.100 beneath your facade. 00:35:51.740 --> 00:35:51.960 And, 00:35:52.080 --> 00:35:55.920 and, and many people 00:35:55.920 --> 00:35:56.560 get into that 00:35:56.560 --> 00:35:57.120 and see it 00:35:57.120 --> 00:35:58.540 and they just get sickened 00:35:58.540 --> 00:35:59.120 by it 00:35:59.120 --> 00:36:00.760 because they, 00:36:00.800 --> 00:36:01.120 they just, 00:36:01.240 --> 00:36:02.440 they can't live 00:36:02.440 --> 00:36:03.260 all those rules. 00:36:03.380 --> 00:36:03.880 They can't, 00:36:03.960 --> 00:36:04.720 they just can't. 00:36:05.200 --> 00:36:06.840 But these original words 00:36:06.840 --> 00:36:08.100 are opening the door 00:36:08.100 --> 00:36:09.080 to this mystery. 00:36:09.079 --> 00:36:09.159 mystery. 00:36:09.799 --> 00:36:11.219 And the mystery is 00:36:11.219 --> 00:36:12.880 that the only way 00:36:12.880 --> 00:36:13.860 to be blameless 00:36:13.860 --> 00:36:15.559 is to be forgiven. 00:36:18.299 --> 00:36:19.819 And that human beings 00:36:19.819 --> 00:36:20.699 desperately, 00:36:20.960 --> 00:36:21.460 desperately, 00:36:21.719 --> 00:36:22.079 desperately 00:36:22.079 --> 00:36:23.239 need to be forgiven. 00:36:24.159 --> 00:36:25.519 It's hard to go 00:36:25.519 --> 00:36:26.940 a month 00:36:26.940 --> 00:36:28.119 or two weeks 00:36:28.119 --> 00:36:29.239 without hearing 00:36:29.239 --> 00:36:29.920 somebody, 00:36:30.279 --> 00:36:30.719 somewhere, 00:36:30.960 --> 00:36:31.519 talk about 00:36:31.519 --> 00:36:32.500 our need 00:36:32.500 --> 00:36:33.579 to forgive ourselves. 00:36:34.159 --> 00:36:34.819 Talked about it 00:36:34.819 --> 00:36:35.259 other places, 00:36:35.360 --> 00:36:36.259 not going to talk about it now, 00:36:36.340 --> 00:36:37.119 but forgiving yourself 00:36:37.119 --> 00:36:37.779 will absolutely, 00:36:37.900 --> 00:36:38.259 absolutely, 00:36:38.400 --> 00:36:38.759 absolutely, 00:36:38.900 --> 00:36:39.279 absolutely, 00:36:39.400 --> 00:36:39.940 absolutely, 00:36:40.099 --> 00:36:41.299 absolutely never work. 00:36:42.579 --> 00:36:44.299 What we are sensing 00:36:44.299 --> 00:36:45.420 is our need 00:36:45.420 --> 00:36:46.639 to be forgiven by God 00:36:46.639 --> 00:36:48.799 and to be able 00:36:48.799 --> 00:36:49.819 to accept it. 00:36:52.179 --> 00:36:52.659 And so 00:36:52.659 --> 00:36:54.679 that's the, 00:36:54.920 --> 00:36:55.819 it's pointing 00:36:55.819 --> 00:36:57.380 to this wonderful thing 00:36:57.380 --> 00:36:58.819 and Jesus is helping us 00:36:58.819 --> 00:36:59.679 to guard against 00:36:59.679 --> 00:37:00.299 two wrong, 00:37:00.380 --> 00:37:01.380 like the one wrong way 00:37:01.380 --> 00:37:02.119 of reading the text 00:37:02.119 --> 00:37:02.779 and the right way 00:37:02.779 --> 00:37:03.619 of reading the text, 00:37:04.179 --> 00:37:04.719 which is, 00:37:05.559 --> 00:37:05.799 see, 00:37:06.000 --> 00:37:06.359 when God, 00:37:06.360 --> 00:37:07.320 one of the reasons 00:37:07.320 --> 00:37:08.099 we don't like the Bible 00:37:08.099 --> 00:37:09.460 is because it's an intervention 00:37:09.460 --> 00:37:10.160 by God 00:37:10.160 --> 00:37:11.140 into our lives 00:37:11.140 --> 00:37:13.200 and most people, 00:37:13.320 --> 00:37:14.380 when they have people 00:37:14.380 --> 00:37:15.280 making an intervention, 00:37:15.480 --> 00:37:16.160 like the other day 00:37:16.160 --> 00:37:17.000 when I've had to speak 00:37:17.000 --> 00:37:17.480 to somebody, 00:37:17.579 --> 00:37:17.980 it was really, 00:37:18.340 --> 00:37:19.140 what they needed 00:37:19.140 --> 00:37:19.740 to understand 00:37:19.740 --> 00:37:20.280 is that it was 00:37:20.280 --> 00:37:20.920 an intervention 00:37:20.920 --> 00:37:23.079 and we don't like 00:37:23.079 --> 00:37:23.680 interventions 00:37:23.680 --> 00:37:25.300 when they're happening 00:37:25.300 --> 00:37:25.920 but afterwards, 00:37:26.120 --> 00:37:26.640 we're glad 00:37:26.640 --> 00:37:27.800 that somebody intervened 00:37:27.800 --> 00:37:28.720 to deal with something 00:37:28.720 --> 00:37:29.380 that was going on 00:37:29.380 --> 00:37:29.920 in our lives 00:37:29.920 --> 00:37:31.280 and that we could have 00:37:31.280 --> 00:37:32.660 a blind spot dealt with 00:37:32.660 --> 00:37:33.460 or that we can have 00:37:33.460 --> 00:37:34.539 an evil in our lives 00:37:34.539 --> 00:37:35.140 dealt with 00:37:35.139 --> 00:37:36.539 or something like that 00:37:36.539 --> 00:37:38.279 but God intervenes 00:37:38.279 --> 00:37:38.940 with his word 00:37:38.940 --> 00:37:39.839 and it challenges 00:37:39.839 --> 00:37:40.739 our pride 00:37:40.739 --> 00:37:42.159 and he intervenes 00:37:42.159 --> 00:37:43.500 most spectacularly 00:37:43.500 --> 00:37:44.500 and most deeply 00:37:44.500 --> 00:37:47.039 by having his son come 00:37:47.039 --> 00:37:48.239 and die on the cross 00:37:48.239 --> 00:37:49.599 and he dies on the cross 00:37:49.599 --> 00:37:50.339 in our place. 00:37:50.539 --> 00:37:51.639 He is the Lamb of God 00:37:51.639 --> 00:37:52.319 who takes away 00:37:52.319 --> 00:37:53.239 the sin of the world. 00:37:53.920 --> 00:37:55.219 He is the one who dies 00:37:55.219 --> 00:37:56.579 so that we will be forgiven. 00:37:57.079 --> 00:37:57.599 He is the one 00:37:57.599 --> 00:37:58.940 who dies on the cross 00:37:58.940 --> 00:38:00.159 and can speak 00:38:00.159 --> 00:38:01.699 to the one guy 00:38:01.699 --> 00:38:02.440 on the cross 00:38:02.440 --> 00:38:03.700 who began the day 00:38:03.700 --> 00:38:05.119 also being crucified 00:38:05.119 --> 00:38:06.000 beside him 00:38:06.000 --> 00:38:07.599 haranguing Jesus 00:38:07.599 --> 00:38:08.599 but then comes 00:38:08.599 --> 00:38:09.260 and turns 00:38:09.260 --> 00:38:10.119 and realizes 00:38:10.119 --> 00:38:11.019 something about 00:38:11.019 --> 00:38:11.659 the divinity 00:38:11.659 --> 00:38:12.420 and the beautiful 00:38:12.420 --> 00:38:13.440 the beauty 00:38:13.440 --> 00:38:14.380 and the grace 00:38:14.380 --> 00:38:15.200 and the compassion 00:38:15.200 --> 00:38:16.720 and God being at work 00:38:16.720 --> 00:38:17.039 in that 00:38:17.039 --> 00:38:18.420 many people 00:38:18.420 --> 00:38:18.800 are just 00:38:18.800 --> 00:38:19.599 they're just 00:38:19.599 --> 00:38:20.639 castigating them 00:38:20.639 --> 00:38:21.400 but he sees 00:38:21.400 --> 00:38:22.400 something powerful 00:38:22.400 --> 00:38:23.300 about the compassion 00:38:23.300 --> 00:38:23.820 of God 00:38:23.820 --> 00:38:25.260 and he asks 00:38:25.260 --> 00:38:26.139 that when Jesus 00:38:26.139 --> 00:38:27.200 will remember him 00:38:27.200 --> 00:38:27.700 when he comes 00:38:27.700 --> 00:38:28.460 into his kingdom 00:38:28.460 --> 00:38:28.920 there he is 00:38:28.920 --> 00:38:29.960 dying on the cross 00:38:29.960 --> 00:38:31.119 and Jesus says 00:38:31.119 --> 00:38:31.880 today you will be 00:38:31.880 --> 00:38:32.679 with me in paradise 00:38:32.679 --> 00:38:33.940 and that can only happen 00:38:33.940 --> 00:38:34.920 if that man's sins 00:38:34.920 --> 00:38:35.500 are forgiven 00:38:35.500 --> 00:38:36.599 and so there's 00:38:36.599 --> 00:38:37.860 this profound promise 00:38:37.860 --> 00:38:38.639 in the scripture 00:38:38.639 --> 00:38:40.280 yes if you come 00:38:40.280 --> 00:38:41.039 to know Jesus 00:38:41.039 --> 00:38:42.579 your sins are forgiven 00:38:42.579 --> 00:38:45.420 they are forgiven 00:38:45.420 --> 00:38:47.880 and it's because 00:38:47.880 --> 00:38:48.780 they are forgiven 00:38:48.780 --> 00:38:50.300 that's that's how 00:38:50.300 --> 00:38:51.139 you're going to stand 00:38:51.139 --> 00:38:51.960 before God 00:38:51.960 --> 00:38:52.840 in all eternity 00:38:52.840 --> 00:38:54.039 you still do wrong things 00:38:54.039 --> 00:38:54.920 and those wrong things 00:38:54.920 --> 00:38:55.360 that you've done 00:38:55.360 --> 00:38:56.679 they're also forgiven 00:38:56.679 --> 00:38:57.579 and so there's this 00:38:57.579 --> 00:38:58.960 whole promise 00:38:58.960 --> 00:38:59.720 and dynamic 00:38:59.720 --> 00:39:00.460 that you hear 00:39:00.460 --> 00:39:01.400 text like this 00:39:01.400 --> 00:39:02.599 blessed are those 00:39:02.599 --> 00:39:03.679 whose way is blameless 00:39:03.679 --> 00:39:04.639 who walk in the law 00:39:04.639 --> 00:39:05.079 of the Lord 00:39:05.079 --> 00:39:05.840 that I want to hear 00:39:05.840 --> 00:39:06.380 his word 00:39:06.380 --> 00:39:07.420 and when I start 00:39:07.420 --> 00:39:07.900 to realize 00:39:07.900 --> 00:39:08.519 that there's things 00:39:08.519 --> 00:39:08.940 in my life 00:39:08.940 --> 00:39:09.699 I don't have the hope 00:39:09.699 --> 00:39:10.059 I should 00:39:10.059 --> 00:39:11.559 or I haven't been 00:39:11.559 --> 00:39:12.619 thankful as I should 00:39:12.619 --> 00:39:13.199 or I haven't been 00:39:13.199 --> 00:39:14.260 as pure as I should 00:39:14.260 --> 00:39:14.800 I haven't held 00:39:14.800 --> 00:39:15.300 to the truth 00:39:15.300 --> 00:39:15.820 as I should 00:39:15.820 --> 00:39:17.019 I've listened to lies 00:39:17.019 --> 00:39:17.940 and I shouldn't have 00:39:17.940 --> 00:39:19.260 and I can ask 00:39:19.260 --> 00:39:19.960 his forgiveness 00:39:19.960 --> 00:39:20.460 for that 00:39:20.460 --> 00:39:21.440 at the same time 00:39:21.440 --> 00:39:22.920 in light of forgiveness 00:39:22.920 --> 00:39:24.220 that I can press on 00:39:24.220 --> 00:39:25.079 to try to make 00:39:25.079 --> 00:39:26.559 my life a better life 00:39:26.559 --> 00:39:28.179 knowing that as I read 00:39:28.179 --> 00:39:28.840 his word 00:39:28.840 --> 00:39:30.039 and hold fast 00:39:30.039 --> 00:39:30.660 to the cross 00:39:30.660 --> 00:39:31.640 that there's a power 00:39:31.640 --> 00:39:32.300 from God 00:39:32.300 --> 00:39:33.600 that comes into my life 00:39:33.600 --> 00:39:34.519 for me to thrive 00:39:34.519 --> 00:39:38.120 that's how this song 00:39:38.120 --> 00:39:39.780 it begins by pointing us 00:39:39.780 --> 00:39:40.380 to the point 00:39:40.380 --> 00:39:41.220 to the cross 00:39:41.220 --> 00:39:43.280 that we can't 00:39:43.280 --> 00:39:44.700 read the scriptures 00:39:44.700 --> 00:39:46.519 if we try to read it 00:39:46.519 --> 00:39:47.320 without the cross 00:39:47.320 --> 00:39:48.740 we're just going to become 00:39:48.740 --> 00:39:49.579 terrible 00:39:49.579 --> 00:39:50.579 legalistic 00:39:50.579 --> 00:39:51.380 arrogant 00:39:51.380 --> 00:39:52.620 stuck up 00:39:52.620 --> 00:39:53.700 people who think 00:39:53.700 --> 00:39:54.160 they're better 00:39:54.160 --> 00:39:55.240 than everybody else 00:39:55.240 --> 00:39:55.960 and everybody 00:39:55.960 --> 00:39:57.380 will run from us 00:39:57.380 --> 00:39:59.480 we need to be humbled 00:39:59.480 --> 00:40:01.200 right off the 00:40:01.200 --> 00:40:02.099 it humbles us 00:40:02.099 --> 00:40:02.960 right off the bat 00:40:02.960 --> 00:40:06.280 so brothers and sisters 00:40:06.280 --> 00:40:08.180 blessed are those 00:40:08.180 --> 00:40:09.160 whose way is blameless 00:40:09.160 --> 00:40:10.180 who walk in the law 00:40:10.180 --> 00:40:10.640 of the Lord 00:40:10.640 --> 00:40:11.820 read his word regularly 00:40:11.820 --> 00:40:12.860 if you have problems 00:40:12.860 --> 00:40:13.180 reading 00:40:13.180 --> 00:40:14.000 and not everybody's 00:40:14.000 --> 00:40:14.360 a reader 00:40:14.360 --> 00:40:16.480 get the YouVersion app 00:40:16.480 --> 00:40:17.539 on your phone 00:40:17.539 --> 00:40:19.420 and for all of the 00:40:19.420 --> 00:40:20.720 major English translations 00:40:20.720 --> 00:40:21.519 you can listen 00:40:21.519 --> 00:40:22.119 to the Bible 00:40:22.119 --> 00:40:24.019 if you have trouble 00:40:24.019 --> 00:40:24.400 reading 00:40:24.400 --> 00:40:25.000 listen 00:40:25.000 --> 00:40:27.819 take in the bus 00:40:27.819 --> 00:40:29.000 drive in the car 00:40:29.000 --> 00:40:30.039 out for a walk 00:40:30.039 --> 00:40:31.119 put on your 00:40:31.119 --> 00:40:32.319 headphones 00:40:32.319 --> 00:40:33.839 and listen to the word 00:40:33.839 --> 00:40:35.460 don't have to read 00:40:35.460 --> 00:40:36.179 you can listen 00:40:36.179 --> 00:40:39.000 but get it into your life 00:40:39.000 --> 00:40:40.699 and when there's things 00:40:40.699 --> 00:40:41.719 that you don't understand 00:40:41.719 --> 00:40:43.079 and things that confuse you 00:40:43.079 --> 00:40:44.339 that's why there's the church 00:40:44.339 --> 00:40:45.839 that's why there's Bible studies 00:40:45.839 --> 00:40:47.239 that's why there's a woman's group 00:40:47.239 --> 00:40:48.440 that's why there's a youth group 00:40:48.440 --> 00:40:49.699 that's why there's a men's group 00:40:49.699 --> 00:40:51.400 that's why there's Bible study groups 00:40:51.400 --> 00:40:53.079 that's why there's sermons 00:40:53.079 --> 00:40:54.920 for you to understand 00:40:54.920 --> 00:40:56.940 understand and grow 00:40:56.940 --> 00:40:57.780 and thrive 00:40:57.780 --> 00:40:59.119 invite you to stand 00:40:59.119 --> 00:41:09.119 let's bow our heads in prayer 00:41:09.119 --> 00:41:09.519 Father 00:41:09.519 --> 00:41:13.480 we give You thanks and praise 00:41:13.480 --> 00:41:14.619 that You 00:41:14.619 --> 00:41:16.380 we're not just talking 00:41:16.380 --> 00:41:17.119 into the void 00:41:17.119 --> 00:41:19.019 we're not just sort of 00:41:19.019 --> 00:41:19.920 talking out loud 00:41:19.920 --> 00:41:20.840 that You hear 00:41:20.840 --> 00:41:22.460 You hear 00:41:22.460 --> 00:41:25.019 and that Jesus is present 00:41:25.019 --> 00:41:26.920 and the Holy Spirit 00:41:26.920 --> 00:41:27.640 is at work 00:41:27.640 --> 00:41:29.180 that You hear 00:41:29.180 --> 00:41:30.400 and You want us 00:41:30.400 --> 00:41:31.220 to speak to You 00:41:31.220 --> 00:41:32.480 and we give You 00:41:32.480 --> 00:41:33.519 thanks and praise 00:41:33.519 --> 00:41:35.000 that You speak to us 00:41:35.000 --> 00:41:35.780 in the Bible 00:41:35.780 --> 00:41:36.740 Your Word written 00:41:36.740 --> 00:41:38.579 and Lord 00:41:38.579 --> 00:41:39.620 we ask that You 00:41:39.620 --> 00:41:40.780 help us to be 00:41:40.780 --> 00:41:42.360 Psalm 119 people 00:41:42.360 --> 00:41:43.420 help us to trust 00:41:43.420 --> 00:41:44.860 that You will 00:41:44.860 --> 00:41:46.260 cause us to thrive 00:41:46.260 --> 00:41:46.880 as we 00:41:46.880 --> 00:41:48.160 hear Your Word 00:41:48.159 --> 00:41:49.299 and take it 00:41:49.299 --> 00:41:50.159 and take it as an authoritative 00:41:50.159 --> 00:41:51.239 word in our lives 00:41:51.239 --> 00:41:52.879 as we ponder it 00:41:52.879 --> 00:41:53.599 and as we seek 00:41:53.599 --> 00:41:54.480 to try to live it 00:41:54.480 --> 00:41:55.879 we give You thanks and praise 00:41:55.879 --> 00:41:56.960 that You know our weakness 00:41:56.960 --> 00:41:58.279 and our frailty 00:41:58.279 --> 00:41:59.399 and our need for a Savior 00:41:59.399 --> 00:42:00.920 we give You thanks and praise 00:42:00.920 --> 00:42:02.679 that You have intervened 00:42:02.679 --> 00:42:03.839 by sending a Savior 00:42:03.839 --> 00:42:05.299 the Savior that we need 00:42:05.299 --> 00:42:07.259 and we give You thanks and praise 00:42:07.259 --> 00:42:08.500 that every word of Yours 00:42:08.500 --> 00:42:09.579 is an intervention 00:42:09.579 --> 00:42:10.799 into our lives 00:42:10.799 --> 00:42:12.319 that we might become 00:42:12.319 --> 00:42:13.239 more like Jesus 00:42:13.239 --> 00:42:14.519 that we might be fit 00:42:14.519 --> 00:42:15.339 for the new heaven 00:42:15.340 --> 00:42:16.180 and the new earth 00:42:16.180 --> 00:42:18.400 that we might bring You glory 00:42:18.400 --> 00:42:19.960 so Father make us 00:42:19.960 --> 00:42:21.059 as individuals 00:42:21.059 --> 00:42:22.579 Psalm 119 people 00:42:22.579 --> 00:42:23.840 and make us as a church 00:42:23.840 --> 00:42:25.500 a Psalm 119 church 00:42:25.500 --> 00:42:27.039 all for Your glory 00:42:27.039 --> 00:42:28.500 and we ask these things 00:42:28.500 --> 00:42:29.440 in the name of Jesus 00:42:29.440 --> 00:42:30.160 Your Son 00:42:30.160 --> 00:42:30.880 and our Savior 00:42:30.880 --> 00:42:32.640 and all God's people said 00:42:32.640 --> 00:42:33.600 Amen