Recognizable Traits Part 4

Introduction:

1. These are traits that can be observed in the true Christian and when they are displayed, they will be recognized.

Body:

1. Christians are individuals who are made glad by the good works of others.

Acts 11:23 NKJV

23 When he came and had seen the grace of God, he was glad, and encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord.

A. In order to be glad when others do good works, you first have to be made glad by good works.

1 Timothy 6:6–16 NKJV

6 Now godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8 And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. 9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 11 But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 I urge you in the sight of God who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate, 14 that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ’s appearing, 15 which He will manifest in His own time, He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen.

1. I want you to notice with me David’s attitude about going unto the house of the Lord.

Psalm 122:1 NKJV

1 I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go into the house of the Lord.”

A. Obedience made David glad.

1. This is the attitude that the man of God is to have.

Psalm 119:1–2 NKJV

1 Blessed are the undefiled in the way, Who walk in the law of the Lord! 2 Blessed are those who keep His testimonies, Who seek Him with the whole heart!

2. The man of God is to rejoice in God’s testimonies.

Psalm 119:14 NKJV

14 I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies, As much as in all riches.

3. The man of God delights in God’s statutes.

Psalm 119:16 NKJV

16 I will delight myself in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word.

4. Our soul should long for God’s judgments at all times.

Psalm 119:20 NKJV

20 My soul breaks with longing For Your judgments at all times.

5. The man of God is to delight in God’s testimonies.

Psalm 119:24 NKJV

24 Your testimonies also are my delight And my counselors.

6. The man of God is to see the works of God as wonderful.

Psalm 119:27 NKJV

27 Make me understand the way of Your precepts; So shall I meditate on Your wonderful works.

A. When we see God’s works as wonderful, we will rejoice when we see them in others.

7. Again, the author of this Psalm points out his delight in God’s commandments.

Psalm 119:35 NKJV

35 Make me walk in the path of Your commandments, For I delight in it.

8. Once again, the author reiterates his delight for God’s commandments and takes it even further to say that he loves God’s commandments.

Psalm 119:47–48 NKJV

47 And I will delight myself in Your commandments, Which I love. 48 My hands also I will lift up to Your commandments, Which I love, And I will meditate on Your statutes.

9. The man of God rejoices in God’s statues in song.

Psalm 119:54 NKJV

54 Your statutes have been my songs In the house of my pilgrimage.

10. The author once again repeats that he delights in God’s law.

Psalm 119:70 NKJV

70 Their heart is as fat as grease, But I delight in Your law.

A. The author recognizes that his pain in affliction has been for good, because he has learned from it.

Psalm 119:71 NKJV

71 It is good for me that I have been afflicted, That I may learn Your statutes.

1. Jesus tells us in the New Testament that we should rejoice in persecution.

Matthew 11:10–12 NKJV

10 For this is he of whom it is written: ‘Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, Who will prepare Your way before You.’ 11 “Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.

2. Are we glad when we see people rejoicing in persecution?

11. The author of Psalm 119 points out that those who fear God will be glad when they see him, the same as Barnabas was glad at the good works of those in Antioch.

Psalm 119:74 NKJV

74 Those who fear You will be glad when they see me, Because I have hoped in Your word.

12. The author once again restates that his delight is in God’s law.

Psalm 119:77 NKJV

77 Let Your tender mercies come to me, that I may live; For Your law is my delight.

13. We should start to see a pattern as he repeats the law is his delight again.

Psalm 119:92 NKJV

92 Unless Your law had been my delight, I would then have perished in my affliction.

14. In verse 97, he repeats the fact that he loves God’s law.

Psalm 119:97 NKJV

97 Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day.

A. He repeats he loves the law 4 more times in verses. Ps. 119: 113, 163, 165

B. He repeats he loves God’s testimonies 2 more times in verses Ps. 119: 119, 167

C. He repeats he loves God’s commands one more time in verse Ps. 119:127

D. In Ps. 119:140, he says he loves God’s Word.

Psalm 119:140 NKJV

140 Your word is very pure; Therefore Your servant loves it.

E. In Ps. 119:159, he says he loves the precepts of God.

Psalm 119:159 NKJV

159 Consider how I love Your precepts; Revive me, O Lord, according to Your lovingkindness.

B. God’s Word and keeping it made the author of Psalm 119 extremely glad.

1. As Christians, we should be made extremely glad by the Word of God and keeping it.

Philippians 4:4 NKJV

4 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!

Conclusion:

1. People who love the Law of the Lord are becoming extremely rare.

Matthew 7:13–14 NKJV

13 “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

A. We should be extremely glad when we see the grace of God, and this should cause us to prefer one another.

Romans 12:10 NKJV

10 Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another;

A. Are you recognizable as Christians because you are made glad by the good works of others?