Psalm 19 Sermon
Notes
Transcript
Scripture Intro:
Scripture Intro:
Scripture Reading (“Please stand…”)
The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard.
Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them he has set a tent for the sun, which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber, and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy.
Its rising is from the end of the heavens, and its circuit to the end of them, and there is nothing hidden from its heat.
The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple;
the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes;
the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb.
Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.
Who can discern his errors? Declare me innocent from hidden faults. Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me! Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression.
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.
Pray...
Intro:
Intro:
St. Louis
Often drive back.
And as you approach St. Louis from the east,
you can see the arch quite a ways away.
And as you come close to the Mississippi River (east boarder of the city),
you wrap around downtown and the arch.
One trip back trying to figure out something to do,
we ventured back out and headed downtown to hang out at the arch.
Drive in through downtown.
Tall buildings block the view.
Navigating city blocks.
We get out of the car and begin to walk up to the arch.
Our girls (Kaitlyn just turned 4) and our nieces running around playing,
as we walked through the grass of the park that surround the arch.
We get to the base of the arch.
Massive steel structure
Of which we ran around and stood next to.
We were there at the base of the Arch for about 15 minutes.
Finally Kaitlyn looks up and screams...
"Look, there's the Arch!!!!"
I find it amazing how (just like Kaitlyn) we can miss what is right in front of us.
That we blitz through life and a frantic pace...
and we miss what God is saying to us.
He says it...
not always with words.
But with the glory of what surrounds us.
Nature (Sun, stars, trees, rivers, mountains, animals, insects)
Weather patterns, clouds, the sky.
It is all a call for us to “Look up”!!!
To see God’s amazing glory.
God Reveals Himself and His Character
God Reveals Himself and His Character
Everything we know about God...
he has shown to us.
He reveals himself to us.
We did not figure him out.
He let us peak behind the curtain.
Two ways:
In Creation and In His Word
In Creation
(v. 1-6)
When you look at all of what God has made,
it shouts out his praise.
The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
Stars, trees, rivers, mountains, animals, insects, etc...
they don’t speak ineligible words.
Yet, they “speak” of God’s glory.
(v. 1) “declare” / “proclaim”
(v. 2) “pours out speech” / “reveals knowledge”
(v. 4) “their voice” / “their words”
Nobody can miss the magnitude of creation.
(v. 4) “In them he has set a tent for the sun...”
Like we go camping and put up a tent for night...
God allows the sun to go away for the night.
“runs its course with joy.”
It is God who orders the sun, moon, stars, planets, galaxies.
(v. 5-6) The sun’s circuit... nothing is hidden from its heat
Nobody can miss the “testimony” of creation.
It is right there in front of everyone who has ever lived on the earth.
For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.
For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.
What do we know about God from creation?
In creation, we see God's consistency, his order...
(v. 2) Consistent, day after day, It never ceases
his sovereign rule over all things...
“he has set a tent for the sun”
his physical laws that govern the creation,
his constancy.
His creativity (color, shading, taste, fragrances, textures,
music, melodies, harmonies (and the mathematical genius of blending sounds),
His power, magnitude, care.
The fact historically before GPS,
ships could navigate the ocean by the stars is astounding.
Think about that...
the stars are not simply telling of God’s grandeur and power.
They are God’s care for people that have lived throughout 1000’s of years.
So we know that creation reveals God and his character,
but God doesn’t stop there.
He knows the creation gives us a broad picture of himself.
Even as massive and ornate as creation is,
it is limited in terms of knowledge about God.
Creation... declares God generally.
The Word of God... declares specifics about God and his grace.
In His Word
(v. 7-11)
David refers the the Word of God with many different phrases:
The law of the Lord,
testimony of the Lord (some versions “statutes”)
precepts of the Lord,
commands of the Lord, fear of the Lord,
rules/ordinances of the Lord.
The effects of the Word of God on those who know him and fear him...
God Restores Our Created Design
God Restores Our Created Design
What is the character of the Law of God/ word of God?
Perfect- without fault, pure
Trustworthy, sure, faithful- solid, able to be trusted
Right- straight, level, even, upright, just, righteous
Radiant/ pure- without blemish
Pure/ clean- without error and falsehood
endures forever
sure/true
altogether righteous
more precious than gold
sweeter than honey
In context of creation...
sets the stage for the Word.
The impact of creation:
Job - claim of righteousness
Elihu - points him to creation
God responds - points to creation
Job - repents
Fear of the Lord...
is a response or a mindset of approaching God.
Effects of the Word:
Reviving the soul
converting the soul.
Making the soul alive.
Making wise the simple
Rejoicing the heart
Giving light to the eyes
Great reward
Gives us life, wisdom, joy
Makes us bright
Great reward...
there is tons of benefit from reading his word.
More precious than gold
Sweeter than honey
The Word is more valuable than anything your could own.
The Word is more satisfying than anything you could eat or indulge in.
Yet, we still don't read it.
I think the most difficult part of reading the Word...
is starting.
(v. 11)
“by them is your servant warned”
Restores us to relationship.
To what we were created for.
God Unveils Our Desperate Need for Him
God Unveils Our Desperate Need for Him
The view of God clarifies your view of yourself.
The view of yourself clarifies your view of God.
When you see yourself in light the amazing creation of God...
you rightly feel small.
When you see yourself in light of the Law of God...
you rightly cry for mercy.
B/c nobody can adhere to the Law of God.
It serves as a mirror.
We rightly see ourselves in contrast to the holiness of God.
will be constrained to flee for refuge to the mercy of God.
(v. 12-14)
Who can discern his errors? Declare me innocent from hidden faults.
Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me! Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression.
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.
Recognizes the only way to truly be blameless in God’s sight is by his mercy and grace.
Close in Prayer
Close in Prayer
Closing Song:
Closing Song:
“Emmanuel’s Land”
Our future is a glorious one.
The place where God dwells and can see him and his glory unhindered.
Benediction:
Benediction: