SERMON: RELATIVE RESTORATION

 

2 June 2013

I.  Introduction

            -- turn in Bibles to Galatians 6:1-10  

Galatians 6:1-10 (NIV)

1 Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.
2 Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
3 If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.
4 Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else,
5 for each one should carry his own load.
6 Anyone who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with his instructor.
7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.
8 The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.
9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

            -- what do we do when a Christian falls?

            -- around the turn of the twentieth century, a husband and wife team here in America founded a well-known international ministry -- the ministry was blessed by God and grew in numbers and in impact and their whole family became involved in the mission

            -- their son was sent to school to become an accountant, and when he graduated, he was placed in charge of finances of the entire ministry -- things continued to go well for a time, but some irregularities started showing up in the books -- checks that should have cleared were now bouncing -- notices were received from bill collectors for items that were shown to have been paid -- the son maintained these were all misunderstandings on the part of others -- but as these financial problems became more and more common, it became obvious that something was wrong
            -- it turns out the son had been embezzling from the ministry -- he had been keeping two sets of books -- one accurate and one inaccurate -- and had been skimming proceeds from the donations to the ministry -- he had, in essence, been stealing from God
            -- the son was arrested and convicted of his crimes and sent to prison for several years -- on the day he was to be released he did not know whether anyone would be waiting for him outside the prison gates because of the wrong he had done so many people, his own family included
            -- as he walked through the gates of the prison, he saw his parents waiting for him -- they carried him home and told him he could live with them until he got back on his feet -- and then, to everyone's surprise, they gave their son back his old job taking care of the finances of the ministry -- the ministry never suffered another financial irregularity
            -- what do we do when a Christian falls? -- that is the question before us this morning

            -- today finds us back in the Book of Galatians, here at the end of Paul's letter to the church where he addressed the issue of the Judaizers and legalism and falling from grace

            -- as you remember from last week, the church at Galatia had been infiltrated by a group of Jewish believers who were teaching the Galatians they had to follow the law of Moses and be circumcised to be Christians -- basically transforming the gospel of grace into a religion of works
            -- many in the church had been captured by the seductive teaching of this group -- many had fallen from true faith in Christ and a reliance on God's grace instead of human effort -- many had given in to temptation and sin
            -- and so Paul had written this letter to show the Galatians the error of their ways -- to point them back to the path of grace and mercy through Christ -- but the issue remained:  what do we do with those who continue to sin? -- what do we do with those in our church who have backslid and fallen from grace?
            -- Paul addresses those questions for us here in Galatians 6 -- if you would let's look back at this passage and let's see what we can learn about responding to fallen Christians from Paul's words to the Galatians

II.  Relative Restoration (Galatians 6:1-6)

            -- verse 1

1 Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.

            -- Paul addresses these verses to the brothers -- to the true believers in the church at Galatia -- to those who have remained true to the gospel of faith in Christ Jesus

            -- in our Experiencing God study this week we talked about the church -- what the church is and what the church does
            -- as Paul points out in this verse, the church is not a place or a building or a title -- the church is made up of the brothers and sisters we have in Christ -- we are the church -- we are Christ's body -- and as Christ's body and members one with each other, we have responsibilities in this place
            -- as Blackaby put it in the Experiencing God study, "a church is on mission with Christ in our world to carry out the Father's redemptive purposes" -- what are the redemptive purposes of God?
            -- well, certainly, this means salvation -- it means evangelizing others -- witnessing to them and pointing them to the cross of Christ

            -- but God's redemptive purposes go far beyond that to those discussed in this passage -- Christ died on the cross, not only to save us, but to redeem the world from the curse that fell on it in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve sinned

            -- God's redemptive purposes include righting wrongs -- fighting injustice -- speaking up for and taking care of the least of these -- widows and orphans and the poor
            -- and God's redemptive purposes includes redeeming those who have fallen prey to temptation and sin and restoring them back to the body
            -- it is our responsibility to look after all the members of our body, especially those members who have fallen away or, as Paul puts it here in verse 1, who have been caught or overtaken by sin

            -- what do we do when a Christian falls? -- Paul tells us here that we should restore them gently

            -- when I think of restoration of fallen Christians, I can't help but think of Jim Bakker, the first of the televangelists who got caught up in sin and fell from grace
            -- Jim Bakker was an Assembly of God preacher -- and he and his wife, Tammy, envisioned and created the PTL show, one of the first major Christian talk shows on TV, reaching millions of people daily with the message of Christ -- as part of this ministry, they even built a theme park in South Carolina, which was the third most successful theme park in America at the time -- and developed their own satellite TV channel to broadcast 24 hours a day, seven days a week
            -- but this empire came crashing down when Bakker became involved in a sex scandal and was eventually convicted of mail fraud because of his fleecing of investors -- he was sentenced to prison for eight years for his crimes -- his ministry collapsed -- and the Christian community turned their back on him
            -- Bakker writes that when he was serving his last year in prison, he was visited by Franklin Graham, the son of Billy Graham -- Franklin told Bakker he wanted to help him when he got out -- to give him a job, a house, and a car -- Bakker told Graham that he couldn't do this -- that his baggage would bring the Grahams down
            -- but Franklin told him "Jim, you were my friend in the past and you are my friend now. If anyone doesn't like it, I'm looking for a fight."
            -- when Bakker got out of prison, the Grahams sponsored him and did just what they said they would do -- and on "the first Sunday out, Ruth Graham called the halfway house [he] was living in at the Salvation Army and asked permission for [Bakker] to go to the Montreat Presbyterian Church with her that Sunday morning.
            -- When [he] got there, the pastor welcomed [him] and sat [him] with the Graham family," and when Ruth Graham arrived, she walked down the aisle and sat next to Bakker, worshiping with him as if nothing had ever happened¹
            -- brothers, you who are spiritual should restore him gently -- that is exactly what the Grahams did for Jim Bakker as he was getting out of prison -- today Jim Bakker is back in the ministry as a pastor and evangelist -- as his website states, "If God can put Pastor Jim's life back together, then He can do it for anyone."

            -- I want to point out something here in this passage -- Paul tells us in verse 1 that we are to restore Christians who are caught up or overtaken by sin -- Paul is not talking here about a person with habitual sin, but sudden sin -- a change in behavior that is not in keeping with one's character -- a sin that happens when someone gives in to a temptation all of a sudden and finds themselves trapped and fallen away

            -- in other words, the first moment we see someone start to slip away, it is our duty to reach out to them and gently show them the error of their ways and restore them back into the fold -- now, if that doesn't work -- if their sin moves from the sudden to the habitual -- there are other steps to be taken -- church discipline as outlined by Jesus that we are to apply in order to bring people back to repentance -- but that is not the issue here -- Paul is addressing those who have made a mistake who need to be restored back to fellowship

            -- the phrase Paul uses, "restore him gently," is actually a medical metaphor -- it is used to describe the act of a doctor setting a broken bone and putting it right or putting a dislocated joint back in place

            -- the idea Paul is trying to get across to the Galatians here is that all members of the church belong to one another and need one another -- and when one person is broken or dislocated -- the body cannot function as God intended
            -- as members of the body, we are responsible for every other member -- and when someone has fallen away, we are called to restore them so the body will be whole again

            -- verse 2-6

2 Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

3 If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.
4 Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else,
5 for each one should carry his own load.
6 Anyone who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with his instructor.

            -- Paul tells us here in verse 2 we should "bear one another's burdens" -- the word that Paul uses for burdens in verse 2 is BAROS -- it means "a heavy load" -- this word stresses the weight of the burden being borne by our brother or sister in Christ

            -- Paul says we should bear their burden for them -- we should help lessen their load so they will not be overwhelmed and give in to temptation

            -- think about the times you are tempted and give in to sin -- when does that occur? -- it occurs when you are burdened -- when you are overwhelmed -- when life is just rushing at you -- you might feel lonely -- you might feel like it is too much for you to bear -- and then Satan comes along and says, "Why don't you give in to this temptation just this one time? -- it will make you feel better -- you deserve it"

            -- Paul tells us here to bear our brother's burdens before this can happen -- to help take some of the weight off their shoulders so they can keep on keeping on

            -- but over in verse 5, Paul seems to contradict himself when he tells us that everyone should carry their own load -- the word Paul uses in verse 5 is the Greek word PHORTION (for-tee'-on), which refers to a backpack that a solider would carry -- it speaks of our responsibility to do our part in the body of Christ

            -- yes, occasionally burdens and loads come upon us that weigh us down, but usually these are of our own making -- usually these are things we are putting on ourselves that do not come from the Lord
            -- the PHORTION we carry as members of Christ's body is not overwhelming to us -- it is not more than we can bear -- as Christ said, "take My yoke upon you -- for my yoke is easy to bear and my burden is light"
            -- the questions we should ask ourselves are:  "Am I doing my part?  Am I bearing my PHORTION?" and "Am I trying to carry a load of my own making that is too heavy for me?"

            -- Paul tells us when we carry each other's burdens, we fulfill the law of Christ -- what is the law of Christ? -- that's easy -- love one another -- as I have loved you, love one another

            -- and, of course, there is the golden rule:  "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you"
            -- do you remember last week when I pointed out Jesus' commandments in regards to the law? -- Jesus told us there were only two laws that we must keep as New Testament Christians, and in doing so, we would fulfill all the laws of the Old Testament
            -- "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and mind and soul and strength" and "Love your brother as yourself"
            -- when we see someone falling away and becoming caught up in sin, our response should not be to turn away or to reject them -- instead, we should go to them in love and restore them gently back to the body of Christ

III.  Sowing and Reaping (Galatians 6:7-10)

            -- verse 7

7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.

8 The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.
9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

            -- I don't have time this morning to really dig into these verses -- perhaps we'll do this another day if the Lord leads us back to this passage

            -- but real briefly, I wanted to point out something that Paul brings out in these verses -- we've all heard the phrase, "you reap what you sow" -- and usually this brings to mind the consequences of sin -- there is a price to sin and that price has to be paid whenever you give in to temptation and sin -- you reap what you sow

            -- but Paul brings out in these verses the alternative meaning of this phrase -- when you do good to others -- when you fulfill the law of Christ by loving others and gently restoring them back to the body -- you reap what you sow

            -- good things come from sowing good -- good things come when you sow love and grace and mercy -- lives are changed -- relationships are restored -- and people are brought to repentance

            -- in verse 9 Paul gives us a very real warning -- he tells us to not become weary in doing good -- he tells us to not give up

            -- Paul knew what he was talking about -- how easy would it have been for him to just give up on churches like the one at Galatia or the one in Corinth? -- how easy would it have been for him to just say, "I'm tired of reaching out to you time and time again -- I'm tired of constantly having to pick you up and point you back to Christ -- I'm tired of doing all I can and not seeing any fruit"

            -- I know that feeling -- God brought me to this passage this week for a reason -- you know that I do some one-on-one discipleship -- and I've had some success with some disciples, but others have just left me disappointed

            -- one disciple in particular has really disheartened me -- I have met with him more than any of my other disciples -- I've shared with him my life and instructed him in what it means to be a follower of Christ
            -- but time and time again, he has let me down -- I can't tell you how many times he was supposed to meet me and didn't show up -- didn't even call to say he was not coming -- I can't tell you how many times he has committed to staying away from temptation and sin and then goes right back out and does it again and expects me to help him pick up the pieces -- I can't tell you how many times I've done emergency counseling with him and his family -- and then I don't hear from him for weeks or months at a time
            -- he called me back up a couple of weeks ago and said he had recommitted his life to Christ and wanted to start meeting with me again -- and, to be honest, I didn't want to meet him -- I had gotten tired of it -- as Paul says here, I had gotten weary and had really just given up
            -- but God led me to this passage and He told me to try again -- God told me that if I don't give up, good will come out of it -- that I will reap what I sow -- that if I just love this man and do everything I can to restore him gently back to fellowship with Christ, that good will come of it even though I am weary and on the point of just giving up
            -- what do we do with a fallen Christian? -- this is what we do
 
IV.  Closing
            -- some of  you might remember that a few years ago, an angry man rushed through a museum in Amsterdam until he reached Rembrandt's famous painting "Night-watch." -- Then he took out a knife and slashed the canvas repeatedly before anyone could stop him
            -- not long after this, a similar thing happened at St. Peter's Cathedral in Rome when a man rushed in with a hammer and began to smash Michelangelo's beautiful sculpture, The Pieta.
            -- Two cherished works of art were severely damaged by these two hurting men -- so what did the museum curators do with these damaged works of art? -- did they throw them out? -- did they put them in the basement in storage and forget about them?
            -- Absolutely not -- they hired experts in art restoration to work with the utmost care and precision to restore these treasures back to their original condition

            -- Christians today should have the same approach towards believers who have been suddenly overtaken by sin -- our first thought should be to restore, not condemn -- as Paul urges in this passage, it is our responsibility as Christians to love these backsliders and pray for them and work to bring them back to spiritual wholeness and fellowship within the body of Christ²

            -- Christ did this for us -- and we should do this for others

            -- let us pray

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¹"The Re-education of Jim Bakker,"Christianity Today (12-7-98)
²Modified from D.C. Egner (Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved)

SERMON: REVELATION AND RESPONSE

27 January 2013

I.  Introduction

            -- turn in Bibles to Psalm 19:1-14

Psalm 19:1-14 (NIV)

1 The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
2 Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge.
3 There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard.
4 Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun,
5 which is like a bridegroom coming forth from his pavilion, like a champion rejoicing to run his course.
6 It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is hidden from its heat.
7 The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple.
8 The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes.
9 The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the LORD are sure and altogether righteous.
10 They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb.
11 By them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.
12 Who can discern his errors? Forgive my hidden faults.
13 Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then will I be blameless, innocent of great transgression.
14 May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.

             -- I read a story about President Franklin D. Roosevelt that I wanted to share with you this morning -- a lot of people don't know that President Roosevelt had a great sense of humor and was known for being mischievous at times -- as President, he often had to endure long receiving lines at the White House as guest and foreign dignitaries would file by to speak to him and shake his hand -- He complained that no one really paid any attention to what was said

            -- so, one day, when he was hosting a formal dinner for ambassadors from various countries in the White House, he decided to try an experiment -- as each person passed down the line and shook his hand, he murmured, "I murdered my grandmother this morning."  -- the guests responded with phrases like, "That is great! Keep up the good work.  We are proud of you.  God bless you, sir."
            -- It wasn't until the end of the line, as the ambassador from Bolivia bent down to shake Roosevelt's hand, that his words were actually heard -- as Roosevelt murmured, "I murdered my grandmother this morning," the ambassador leaned over and whispered, "I'm sure she had it coming."

             -- it's frustrating when people don't listen to us, isn't it? -- when you are trying to say something and they're obviously not listening at all -- either they're distracted by their cell phones or the TV or they just don't care

            -- Kim called me out on that this week -- she was talking and I got distracted by something on my phone and it bothered her -- and I know it bothers me when people ignore me when I'm trying to talk, too -- it's one of those shared human experiences
            -- and if it bothers us this much, imagine how it bothers God -- imagine what God thinks when He speaks to us and we don't take the time to listen or we just rush through our prayers and our Bible readings and daily devotions and get on with life
            -- that's why I felt led to start the "Exalt the Word" challenge in this new year -- to give you a chance to just slow down and read God's word in a deliberate, intentional fashion and to give you the chance to hear God speak -- to listen to His voice -- and to respond to His word
            -- and, I've said it before and I'm going to say it again -- it's not so important that you read through the Bible in a year or that you finish each day's readings -- what is important is that you are listening for God -- that as you read you ask yourself, "What am I hearing? -- What is God saying to me? -- What does God want me to do with what I just read?"
            -- the goal is to reach the place where it become second-nature to listen for God and to look for His presence -- not just when we are taking time out of our day to read His word -- but every moment of every day -- when we're walking through life and going through our daily routines to just stop and thing, "Where is God? -- What is He saying? -- What is He doing right now?  And what does He want me to do?"

            -- if you're following along in the Bible reading plan that I gave you, then you would have had the opportunity to read this Psalm last Sunday -- when I read it, it just shouted out to me and confirmed what we were trying to do in this "Exalt the Name" challenge -- so I wanted to take a few moments here this morning to just look at this Psalm in a little more depth and see what we can hear from God through His word

            -- this Psalm was written by King David -- the man after God's own heart -- a man who knew God intimately -- who had a relationship with Him from the time he was a boy and who continued to spend time with God throughout his long life

            -- that's not to say David was perfect -- the Bible tells us of the times he strayed from God's commands and suffered the consequences -- but it also tells us of how David returned to God and how God's word sustained him through trials and tribulations
            -- this Psalm reminds us that God is constantly speaking to us and that if we listen and respond to His word, we will experience renewing and revival and restoration in our lives -- let's look at this Psalm together again now

II.  God's Revelation through Creation

            -- verse 1-2

Psalm 19:1-2 (NIV)

1 The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

2 Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge.

            -- here in the beginning of this Psalm, David reminds us that God speaks to us through His creation -- he writes that the heavens declare the glory of God -- the skies proclaim the work of His hand

            -- all of creation -- from the sun and moon -- from the stars and the heavenly bodies -- to the awesome splendors of this natural world -- everything reflects the glory of God and proclaims His presence to all who see
            -- I have had the opportunity to see various places around this country and around the world -- I have seen the sun rise from the top of a mountain in Tennessee and watched as a new day began in Colorado -- I have stood at the base of waterfalls and marveled at the sheer power and grandeur of the water -- I have found myself on my hands and knees, engrossed at the striving of a beetle as it struggled to cross a moss-covered knoll -- and I cannot understand anyone who can look at this world and still say, "There is no God"
            -- God speaks to us through His creation -- He has put Himself into this world so that might know Him and respond to Him
            -- theologians call this "general revelation" -- God's self-disclosure to a watching world through His creation -- God making Himself known to all creation
            -- we catch a sense of God's revelation through creation in Michael W. Smith's song, "Light of the World" -- "Light of the world -- You stepped down into darkness -- opened my eyes -- let me see"
            -- that's exactly what David is saying here in these verses -- through God's creation, He opens our eyes and let's us see His glory -- His creation displays to us His power, wisdom, and divine nature -- it shouts to us through our everyday lives and tells us there is a God and we are not Him
            -- the Bible tells us that God's general revelation is available to all people -- Matthew 5:45 tells us that God causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good and that He sends rain on the righteous and unrighteous
            -- God's revelation is a means of grace by which He speaks to the world

            -- verse 3-6

3 There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard.

4 Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun,
5 which is like a bridegroom coming forth from his pavilion, like a champion rejoicing to run his course.
6 It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is hidden from its heat.

            -- God's revelation goes out to all people in all places -- it goes to the ends of the world -- and the truth revealed about God through creation is enough to make all people accountable to know about God and to worship Him -- and it is sufficient to condemn those who plainly see there is a God but who refuse to worship Him         

            -- Romans 1:19-20 says, "what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them -- for since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities -- His eternal power and divine nature -- have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse"
            -- every single person from the beginning of time -- every man, woman, and child who has every lived -- knows there is a God because God has revealed Himself to them through His creation -- and since they know there is a God, they are required to acknowledge Him and worship Him

            -- musician Michael Card said in an interview with Discipleship Journal: "Again and again in China I talked to people who had never heard of Christianity, never heard of Jesus, never heard a single word from the Bible -- yet through nature and their God-given conscience, many believed in God

            -- "not only did they believe God existed -- they had derived some understanding about His loving character because he provided food, water, and a beautiful world. One old woman told me, "I've known him for years. I just didn't know his name."
[Source: Michael Card, from interview in Discipleship Journal (Nov/Dec 2002), p. 72]

            -- David writes here that God's word and His revelation of Himself is like the sun rising over us -- it shines light on His presence and makes us responsible to worship Him and to love Him, even if we don't fully understand the magnitude of who He is and what He has done at this moment

            -- and the thing about God's creation is it is always there -- reminding of us of God and illuminating our hearts
      -- as I was reflecting on this Psalm and God's revelation of Himself through creation, I was reminded of the faith of a Russian Christian around the turn of the century -- as the communists began to take over Russia, they began to tear down the churches and remove all the symbols of God that were in that country
      -- this Christian was confronted by a member of the Soviet police, who proudly said, "We will crush your religion.  We will remove everything that represents your God to you." 
      -- to which the Christian replied, "Oh really, how will you do that?  Will you pull the stars from the sky?  Will you darken the sun and the moon?  Will you destroy God's handiwork in nature?"
      -- the Soviet policeman was left standing there, speechless -- you see, he could destroy the man-made symbols -- he could pass laws declaring God was dead -- but the truth of the situation could not be changed -- God created this world and the heavens and the skies will continue to proclaim His glory and His presence until the end of the age

III.  God's Revelation through His Word

            -- now, while general revelation is sufficient to make everyone accountable to the truth of God's presence and to the requirement to worship Him, it is not sufficient for salvation

            -- general revelation awakens our understanding of the need for salvation but does not reveal the means of salvation -- for that we need God's special revelation

            -- theologians define God's "special revelation" as God's disclosure of Himself by an act of direct revelation -- in other words, God's special revelation is the way He communicates with us to reveal His plans of salvation and redemption and restoration
            -- there are many examples of God's special revelation in the Bible -- we've already seen many of these just in the daily readings we've been doing this month
            -- God has spoken through angels -- through dreams and visions -- through missionaries and special messengers -- through the prophets -- through His church -- through circumstances -- and through the Holy Spirit in response to prayer
            -- but as we all know, the main way God speaks to us and reveals His plans for our lives is through His written revelation -- the Holy Scriptures

            -- here in this next section of Psalm 19 -- verses 7-10 -- David reminds us of God's special revelation given to us through His written word

            -- if you read carefully, you'll see these verses follow a pattern -- first, David gives us a different name for God's written word -- then he describes the character of that particular understanding of God's word -- followed by the target of God's word and the effect it can have in our spiritual lives
            -- as we go through this and as you look at this passage again at home, look for this pattern in this Psalm

            -- let's start at verse 7

7 The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple.

            -- remember the pattern -- first, David gives us the name of the Word -- in this case, the Law -- next, the character of the Word -- God's law is perfect -- this is followed by the target and effect -- God's perfect law revives and restores our soul

            -- taken together, we are told that God's law is perfect -- by following them our soul is revived and restored -- it is brought back to life again -- made whole through the power of His word in our lives

            -- look at the next one -- the statutes -- the testimony or witness of the word -- is trustworthy -- sure -- reliable -- steadfast -- it makes the simple -- the average person in this world -- wise in the ways of God

            -- vs. 8

8 The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes.

             -- the precepts -- the commands of God -- are right and radiant -- pure -- untainted by evil or error

            -- they bring joy to the heart and light to the eyes -- God's precepts and commandments give us well being -- they change us from the inside out -- affecting our heart -- the seat of our emotions -- and the eye -- the window to the soul

            -- vs. 9

9 The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the LORD are sure and altogether righteous.

            -- the fear of the Lord -- reverential awe -- obedient respect -- worshipful submission -- and consideration of his ordinances and judgments -- affect our mind and our will

            -- this verse reminds us God's word is true and righteous -- it is the standard by which all else is measured -- it and it alone accurately reflects reality -- it and it alone tells it like it really is
            -- we live in a world that constantly redefines what is right and what is acceptable -- we live in a world of shifting sand, where those in charge decide what is moral and right and just -- but God's word does not change -- it is permanent and relevant and never in need of alteration
            -- while those around us may proclaim evil things "good" and immoral things "normal," God's word corrects and keeps us from following the wrong path or accepting a lie in place of His truth
            -- as Adam Clarke put it, we find in God's word His "system of instruction, by which men are taught the knowledge of God and themselves -- directed how to walk so as to please God -- redeemed from crooked paths -- and guided in the way everlasting"

            -- verse 10

10 They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb.

 
            -- God's word is more precious than gold and sweeter than honey -- many people in our day rush around trying to gain wealth and prestige and power -- but, in the end, all that they have accumulated will turn to dust
            -- but David tells us that God's word is more precious than all the gold of the world -- it is sweeter than honey -- because it will never fade away -- it will never rust or be stolen or turn to dust -- God's word is the one thing in this world that we can depend on -- and the person who knows God's word and who follows God's commands is the wealthiest person there is
            -- worldly knowledge and worldly wealth will only get you so far -- knowing God through His word will get you to heaven

            -- before we move on to the next section, I want to point out something I found really interesting in this chapter -- if you go back to the original Hebrew, you'll see that David changes how he calls on the name of God in this Psalm

            -- in verses 1-6, as David writes of God's general revelation through creation, he uses the name Elohim for God -- Elohim is used to denote God's power and majesty -- it is the same word used in Genesis 1 for God as we read of God creating the heavens and the earth
            -- by using the name Elohim in the first section of this Psalm, David reminds us that God is Creator -- Maker -- Provider -- for all of creation -- for every man, woman, and child -- not just for the Christians -- not just for the Jews -- but for every person
            -- the use of the name Elohim here speaks of God's prevenient grace that reaches out to all people at all times to call them into relationship with God

            -- but here in verses 7-10 David uses God's covenant name Yahweh -- the name by which the nation of Israel knew God -- this is the name that God first gave Moses at the burning bush when Moses asked God, "Whom do I say is sending me? -- Whom do I say You are?"

            -- this calls attention to the fact that God's written word is His special revelation for His special people -- for those who know Him and for those He knows -- for those who have a relationship with Him -- for those who responded to His general revelation and who have come to know Him as Lord and Savior
            -- by using these two names for God, David is reminding us that God declares His presence through creation to open our ears and our eyes and our hearts to His presence for a reason -- He does it to draw us into a special relationship with Him that will lead to redemption and salvation and restoration for our souls
            -- in other words, God speaks in creation to the entire world as Elohim so we might respond to Him as Yahweh -- Yeshua -- Jesus

IV.  God's Revelation Demands a Response

            -- let's finish this up -- verse 11-14

11 By them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.

12 Who can discern his errors? Forgive my hidden faults.
13 Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then will I be blameless, innocent of great transgression.

14 May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.

            -- God doesn't speak just for the sake of speaking -- He speaks to communicate His will and His plans for our lives -- He speaks that we might respond to what He is telling us

            -- God's word always demands a response
            -- David writes here that God's word serves two main purposes -- it guides our footsteps and keeps us on the right path -- it rewards us and leads us into God's blessings as we follow His words and His ways -- as we keep His law and His precepts
            -- but, on the other hand, David writes that God's word also warns us when we have missed the mark -- when we have strayed away from God's path and are heading the wrong way -- God's word is like a warning light in our lives -- an alarm that lets us know something is wrong
            -- it leads to recognition of who we are and of where we are at with Christ
            -- in verse 12 it says that God's word reveals our hidden faults -- this is referring to unintentional sins and sins of omission -- as we read God's word, we grow into a deeper understanding of what is right and what is wrong -- and we start to realize that there are some things in our lives that we have been doing that are actually wrong and are hurtful to us or to others -- like Paul's example in the New Testament with the eating of meat sacrificed to idols
            -- in verse 13 David writes that God's word not only reveals willful sins, but keeps us from committing them -- God's word becomes a boundary in our lives -- kind of like the sidelines on a football field -- by reading God's word -- by knowing what He is saying -- we know what is acceptable and what is not -- we know where we can go and what we can do and what crosses the line of God's law
            -- when we come to know Christ as Lord and Savior -- when we hear Him and respond to His word and abide by His law -- then sin no longer rules over us and we are blameless in the sight of God -- innocent of all transgression
            -- following God's word makes us pleasing in His sight and leads us to redemption, restoration, and rest in His eternal arms

V.  Closing

            -- The American Bible Society recently reported on "The State of the Bible in 2012" -- and there's some good news and some bad news about Bible reading and biblical literacy in America
            -- First, here's the encouraging news -- 85 percent of all homes in America have at least one Bible and 69 percent of Americans believe the Bible provides answers on how to live a meaningful life.
            -- But here's the bad news -- even though most of the homes in America have a Bible, 36 percent of Americans read the Bible less than once a year and many only look at the Bible during worship services
            -- how are we to hear God if we don't open His letters? -- we spend more time checking and reading e-mail, texts, and Facebook statuses than we do listening to the God of all creation

             -- In her book Walking in the Dust of Rabbi Jesus, Lois Tverberg retells the following story about a famous first century rabbi named Rabbi Akiva:

            -- "One day as Rabbi Akiva was shepherding his flocks, he noticed a tiny stream trickling down a hillside, dripping over a ledge on its way toward the river below -- Below was a massive boulder -- Surprisingly, the rock bore a deep impression -- The drip, drip, drip of water over the centuries had hollowed away the stone.

            -- "Akiva commented, "If mere water can do this to hard rock, how much more can God's Word carve a way into my heart of flesh?"
            -- "Akiva realized that if the water had flowed over the rock all at once, the rock would have been unchanged -- It was the slow but steady impact of each small droplet, year after year, that completely reformed the stone."
[Source: Lois Tverberg, Walking in the Dust of Rabbi Jesus (Zondervan, 2012)]

            -- we need to learn to receive God's word like the boulder in this story received the water from the stream

            -- the Bible is God's special revelation to us -- it tells us who God is -- what He has done for us -- and what He want us to do for Him
            -- it is a living word that can touch our lives today -- it can transform us -- it can revive us -- it can renew us -- it can sustain us -- but it can't do any of that if we don't let it
            -- we have to take it in daily -- let it become a part of us -- let it be the vessel by which we hear God speak to us -- so we will become the men and women He has called us to be and so we might walk in the blessings He promises in His kingdom

            -- we're one month into our "Exalt the Word" challenge -- and I don't know how you're doing with that -- but if for some reason this challenge has been like most New Year's resolutions and you've found yourself not having time to read -- I want to encourage you to start over -- start today -- and spend some time in God's word

            -- maybe don't try to read the whole Bible this year -- just read the New Testament readings that are given for you in the reading plan I gave you
            -- the important thing is that we are in the Bible and we are listening for God and we are responding as He leads so we can be transformed and renewed in His presence

            -- let us pray