Psalm 119:9-16: The Neglected Pursuit that Honors God

Introduction

Hudson not bringing home his Social Studies book - quickly went from “I’m going to fail the test” to “I’m going to fail 3rd grade...” Can’t achieve what he wanted to achieve without the book.

Something God wants you to achieve/work toward that you don’t often spend much time thinking about or even pursuing: purity.

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God” (Matthew 5:8).

Pure in heart = being like God… holiness… A life of obedience, love, compassion, humility, selflessness, fruit of the Spirit, instead of a life of sin and rebellion.

Competing messages. World: “Follow your heart.” God: “Let me give you a new heart.”

You can’t achieve/work toward a pure heart without the book.

Psalm 119 = the longest psalm in the psalter. 128 verses! It is the longest chapter in the Bible with 176 verses. It is longer than seventeen books in the New Testament and longer than each of the Minor Prophets with the exceptions of Hosea and Zechariah. 

An acrostic - every letter of the Hebrew alphabet - Psalmist showing us the comprehensive beauty and power of the Word of God.

Opens: “How happy are those who way is blameless...” Or, pure in heart.

128 verses of how God’s Word helps us in our pursuit of purity.

Psalm 119 in Book 5. Theme of Book 5: God will fulfill His promise to Israel by establishing His King forever.

Psalm 119 = a lengthy meditation on Psalm 1 - 2. A King coming who will abide by God’s Word and lead God’s people to abide by God’s Word.

Neglected pursuit. How can we pursue purity? 3 commitments we need to make.

I need to apply God’s Word now.

Instructions, commands, Law, mentioned in almost every verse of Ps. 119. You’re not going to achieve a pure heart without God’s Word.

Vs. 9 - A young man… A message to the young: purity is worth pursuing. Wisdom for the younger generation: You really can avoid a life of foolishness. You can really live a life of holiness. When you get to be my age, you can look back and say, “I pursued God and walked with Him faithfully.” That’s a wonderful testimony!

Temptation of parents to just assume children will sow their wild oats. Temptation of young to think, “I’ll think about God when I’m older… when I have a spouse and children… then I’ll get serious about faith.”

Remember: The choices you make today will affect your tomorrow.

A message to the not so young: you can really share your life with the young and let it be an example of godliness. (2 Tim. 2:2) Where we continually need to get better: older people pouring into younger people.

vs. 10 - Urgency - I need to apply God’s Word now. Why the urgency? You will be discipled by a worldview. The world is not neutral. You are either pursuing God’s way or being influenced to pursue the world’s way.

What worldview are you most exposed to?

Follow your heart...

Create your own destiny…

Put yourself first…

If it feels good, do it…

You live out your truth…

A secular worldview is everywhere!

Existentialism: You are responsible for creating your own purpose and meaning.

Secular humanism: Humans are capable of being ethical and moral without God. We can find self-fulfillment.

Materialism: We’re nothing but matter and energy. If so, no real purpose, live life how you want.

Biblical worldview: God created you, loves you, desires a relationship with you, and desires for you to live according to His will.

What worldview has the most influence over your life?

You are not neutral. You are constantly influenced by a worldview.

Sad reality: You/your children are exposed to secular worldviews far more than you are a Christian worldview. For some, Sunday is the only exposure you have to the Christian worldview.

OR, you can have a lot of exposure to a biblical worldview and ignore it because you’re not convinced God’s way is best. A matter of the heart.

The worldview you are most influenced by will shape the decisions you make.

How do I apply God’s Word now? In every situation… “How does God’s Word inform the decision I’m about to make? What I view? What I say? How I respond?”

I need to treasure God’s Word within.

I won’t apply God’s Word now if I don’t treasure the Word that teaches me how to walk in purity.

Treasure God’s Word OR Stored up (ESV) OR Hidden (KJV) - What you TREASURE you STORE - (Staci and I don’t have a copy of our engagement announcement because I threw it away… You know what you have in God’s Word is valuable but you treat it as not as valuable as it is… ) - What you treasure you store in a safe place.

Why treasure God’s Word? Not JUST so you can win Bible trivia - OR, be an impressive Bible teacher. BUT, so I can be pure. “That I might not SIN against God.” Ps. 119:60-61, 105

Whose words do you treasure? You treasure someone’s words. Whose words do you treasure the most? Whose words are you hiding in your heart?

Your own words - my opinions/my desires. Do you like to hear yourself talk because you think you know more than anyone else?

The words of others - living for the opinion of someone else - long to hear someone else approve of you. Long for this world to approve of you - so you give in to what this world tells you to do. (Told to like pumpkin spice - if pumpkin spice was that great Starbucks would sell it year round…)

The Word of God - Are you convinced that truth lies in the Word of God?

Where is treasuring your words or the words of others and neglecting God’s Word getting you in life?

What are you going to do when temptation comes? Answer depends on whose words you treasure. Temptation is coming… When it does, something is going to pop into your mind, and whatever pops into your mind is going to lead you to make a decision to give in or to flee.

What someone tells you? (different worldviews)

What you tell yourself? (What your desires say in conjunction with the lies you believe from the world.)

What God tells you? (Matt. 4 - Jesus tempted - He quoted Scripture - He treasured God’s Word. It was in His heart so He might not sin.)

How do I begin to treasure God’s Word? Memorize it. Scripture memorization isn’t just for AWANA students.

When temptation comes, Scripture doesn’t come to mind because you haven’t taken the time to memorize it. (vs. 16 - “I will not forget.”)

When’s the last time you memorized Scripture?

You need a Top 10 list. John 3:16, Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23, Matthew 11:28, Galatians 2:20, Philippians 1:6, James 1:2, 2 Corinthians 10:5, Proverbs 19:11, 1 Corinthians 10:13, Proverbs 15:1, etc.

Memorize so I might not sin, and I might help others NOT SIN.

I need to learn God’s Word deeply.

vs. 12 - teach me… vs. 14 - I rejoice in what’s revealed (you have to study to know what’s revealed) vs. 15 - I will meditate…Help me understand.... (vs. 27, 34, 94 “studied”)

The psalmist in Psalm 119 - “I’m going to be a student.”

You LEARN what you know will HELP you. You STUDY what you know will ENRICH your understanding and help you to ACCOMPLISH a task. Studying piano - much more than mechanics - learning about musicality - how to be a musician.

Researchers ask the question: “How many hours to become an expert?” Anders Ericsson, Peak: The New Science of Expertise: an average of 10,000 hours or 10 years of deliberate practice/study/work.

A lot of things that I will NOT become an expert in because I cannot put in the hours.

I have NO NEED to be an expert in nuclear engineering, piano performance, etc., but I have a tremendous need to know the Word of God as much as possible because living the life God has called me to depends on me learning God’s Word deeply.

How many hours to learn God’s Word deeply? A lifetime - BUT every hour greatly benefits you in your pursuit of purity. The more you learn God’s Word, the more you realize how much more you need to learn.

How do I begin to learn God’s Word deeply?

I have to have the right attitude. - Humility - “God teach me.” NOT God entertain me, or God give me what I want. Some of us are unteachable. You listen but you dismiss. You say, “I can’t, or I won’t.”

I have to ask the right questions. “Why does God say what He does? Why should I live His way? Why should I believe what God says?”

I have to meditate on what I’m learning. Sit and passively listen or engage with Scripture. Ask questions in a group, ask questions on your own, seek out answers. God WANTS to answer your questions. Some of us are not nearly inquisitive enough when it comes to God’s Word. NOT just memorizing but thinking on. Bringing what you are learning back to mind throughout the day. (Colossians 3:1, Romans 12:1-2) When are you going to bring Psalm 119 back to mind this week? At dinner table? Family time? In the car?

I have to respond with the right actions. NOT learn to KNOW but LEARN to LIVE.

I have to talk about I’m learning. vs. 13, 43, 46, It’s why you review with your children their assignments. It’s why I ask the question every Sunday, “What did you learn in your Life Connection Group? What did daddy talk about in the message?” Talking about what you learn helps to solidify it in your mind. It’s why we do LCG’s the way we do them. Talk about this passage next Sunday to solidify the truth in your mind. Who’s asking you, “What is God teaching you?”

When I learn God’s Word deeply, I learn that while God wants me to be pure, the only way to be pure is by looking to the ONE who is pure.

Being like God is UNNATURAL because of sin. We are IMPURE. So, God sent His Son, the ONE who is ultimately pure - who never sinned. The ONE who treasured God’s Word, meditated on it, memorized it, spoke it - the ONE who perfectly submitted His life to the instructions of the Heavenly Father EVEN when it cost Him His life. Matthew 26:52-56. “I could call down thousands of angels, but if I did, how would Scripture be fulfilled?”

Went to the cross with the Word of God on His heart and mind: Ps. 22 - “Why have you forsaken me?”

The Word of God was Jesus’ compass - the foundation of His life - knowing Is. 53 - He was the pure Lamb being led to the slaughter for us.

Struggle with purity? Look to the cross - look to the One who lived the Word for you, died in your place, and rose again. Look at the one who is blameless - “Blessed is the ONE whose way is blameless.” (Ps. 119:1) Blessed are you who look to Jesus and determine to follow Him - who choose His way of life.

When you see the beauty of the cross over and over again - gives you a desire for that beauty - to walk in the beauty of the cross - the beauty of purity.

This morning, turn to Him by faith if you are not a follower of Jesus.

If you are a follower of Jesus, ask God to help you in your pursuit of purity.