Sermon Tone Analysis

Opener: II Corinthians 5:1-10

I. Our Bodies are Temporary.

Paul explains the body is simply a temporary dwelling place.

II.

Our God is Good.

(5-8)

Paul tells of his eagerness to be with the Lord.

God is Faithful to be there when we are absent from the body.

SONG:

I MUST TELL JESUS ALL OF MY TRIALS

I CANNOT BEAR MY BURDENS ALONE

IN MY DISTRESS HE KINDLY WILL HELP ME

HE EVER LOVES AND CARES FOR HIS OWN.

III.

Our Lives can make a Difference.

Though we may be eager to be with the Lord, we should live our lives to please God.

Our lives have a purpose.

These are not our purposes.

They will be reflected upon by the one who trusted us with these lives.

Someone has well said,

In reality, no one can preach our funeral, we preach our own funerals while we live.

Welcome

Thank Friends on behalf

Obituary

Song - Just a Closer Walk

Scripture Reading

Memories from Congregation

Song - The Old Rugged Cross

Message

Benediction and Graveside invitation

Close - Vince Gill (Go Rest High on that Mountain)

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Scripture Reading:

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Thy Word Have I Hid in My Heart

Text: Psalm 119:9-12

There are two ways to state the ultimate goal of life, one positively and one negatively.

Positively we could say: the ultimate goal of life is to glorify God by enjoying him forever.

Or negatively, we could say: the ultimate goal of life is not to sin.

They both mean the same thing because sinning is falling short of glorifying God by embracing other things as more enjoyable.

So if we could learn how to glorify God by enjoying him, we would know how not to sin.

And if we could learn how not to sin, we would know how to glorify God by enjoying him.

Psalm 119:11 tells us one of the keys to not sinning.

It says, speaking to God, “Thy word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against thee.”

The way not to sin is to treasure the word of God in your heart.

Which means that the way to succeed in the ultimate goal of life — to live for the glory of God by enjoying him forever — is to treasure the word of God in your heart.

So let’s focus for a moment on what this means.

Take the three key phrases: (1) Thy word; (2) I have treasured; (3) in my heart.

‘Thy Word’

The word the psalmist has in mind is not a subjective impression that comes to his mind when he prays for God’s will to be revealed.

It is the revelation of God in his written word, primarily the Torah, the books of Moses, but also the writings of the prophets whom God sent to Israel.

You can see this in the way he piles up familiar words for God’s revealed written word in the context.

For example, verse 10b:

Psalm 119:10 (KJV 1900)

…”O let me not wander from thy commandments.”

Psalm 119:12 (KJV 1900)

…Teach me thy statutes.

Psalm 119:13 (KJV 1900)

With my lips have I declared

All the judgments of thy mouth.

Psalm 119:14 (KJV 1900)

I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies…

Psalm 119:15 (KJV 1900)

I will meditate in thy precepts,

And have respect unto thy ways.

These words — commandments, statutes, ordinances, testimonies, precepts — are all words that the Bible uses to refer to the written word of God, especially in the books of Moses, but by implication to all God’s revealed written work.

Today we would say “Thy word” refers to the Bible in its entirety.

So what the psalmist is referring to in verse 11 is not subjective impressions but objective teachings of God in Scripture.

I want you to understand that Wally McGie was not a perfect man.

But he was a man that loved the Word of God.

Some of my earliest memories of Brother McGie were right here at SKBC.

But back when I was a boy.

I remember when I was a kid the families that were as faithful to the house of God as the pastor himself.

You knew preacher was going to be there and you know the McGies are going to be there.

You also may not know that Brother Wally was a Nursery widower.

Oh he had Mrs Della but he would be in his place under the preaching of God’s Word serving and helping.

All the while giving Mrs McGie all the room she needed to minister to our children in the nursery program.

I know many men who would be tempted to step back from the church if they don’t get to sit with their wife.

NOt brother McGie.

He did the opposite.

He went to more church.

When I was in middle school I would travel to preachers meetings with my dad.

And no matter where that meeting was there were the McGies.

Brother McGie didn’t know that you get all the Bible you need in church on Sunday.

He thought he needed more through the preaching of God’s Word.

Do you know why?

Because to Brother Wally this is God’s WOrd.

It wasn’t some old book that is outdated.

He wanted to hear it again and again.

Good preaching, talented preaching, beginner preaching seasoned preaching.

To Brother McGie what mattered was if it wad BIble Preaching.

He loved the BIble.

Brother McGie understood that the only hope we have of having victory over sin is found in God’s Word.

And he never lost his love for it.

‘In Mine Heart’

Next take the phrase “in my heart.”

The point here is mainly to say: inside of me, not just on a book outside of me.

The words of God are not just kept in writing for the psalmist to consult outside of himself.

They are kept for his consulting inside of him — in his heart.

The heart in the Old Testament is a place of both thinking and feeling ; So these words of God are being treasured in a place where they can be thought about and felt.

When you would visit Brother McGie you would find a bible on his night stand.

This was because the bible wasn’t a religious book but a personal book.

The Bible wasn’t about the church stuff it was about he life he lived out in the World.