Psalm 119:1-8 Never Forsaken

Relevance:

Illustration of someone seeking completeness.

We live in a world that is looking for completeness.

By completeness I mean a happiness that results from feeling whole.

- Some seek completeness in trying to be their own boss.

Message Movements:

(brief illustration or anecdote)

- Some seek completeness in making other people suffer.

- Some seek completeness in sinfulness.

- Some seek completeness in a significant other.

This song begins with and ends with a matter of completeness.

The word "undefiled" means unscathed or intact or complete.

The final petition gives the indication that to not have the presence of God is to be incomplete.

Summary: The song would have us know that those who are complete are those who have the presence of God by keeping the word of God.

The bad news is that we could not ever obey the word of God sufficiently to earn the presence of God; but God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son...thus, God has graciously sent Jesus so that we could know God and obey His word.

Case: Because of the finished work of Jesus Christ, we are able to live lives in faithful to the word of God.

A. Completeness demands a lot of this servant.

(What is expected so that the LORD does not forsake me? (v. 1-3)

This is a servant who is already in relationship.

The terms for the word

The self-identification (v. 17, 49, 84, 94, 125)

His Torah told them how they lost the presence of God in the Garden.

His Torah told him how they regained the presence of God through God’s gracious activities (with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses)

His Torah told him how the LORD redeemed his people.

His Torah told him how the LORD gave them the law.

His Torah told him how the presence of God had a temporary house among his people in the Tabernacle.

His Torah told him how blessings came to his people if they kept the law and cursings if they disobeyed the law.

Relevance.

We should not belittle the LORD’s expectations upon those with whom he is in relationship with:

(1) Are you in true relationship with the Lord? Have you been redeemed?

(2) Do you understand the demands that are upon those who are in relationship with God?

——> B. Completeness requires responsible obedience from this servant.

What is commanded so that the LORD does not forsake me? (v. 4) - the tone turns personal “us”

Because he is in relationship with the LORD, this is a very personal acceptance of the command.

Responsible obedience is obedience because of recognized responsibility.

Illustration:

——>——>C. Completeness requires an all-consuming desire!

What should I desire/request so that the LORD does not forsake me? (v. 5-8)

——>——>C. What has the LORD done in response the servant's request about forsaking? (from blameless to presence through forsaking...etc)

——> B. What is commanded because the LORD will never forsake me?

A. What kind of life does someone in this kind of relationship live?

(1) Pursue blamelessness because you blameless. (loose clothing illustrations, especially for pastors)

(2) Love the Lord supremely because you are a true worshipper. (idolatry considerations)

(3) Practice righteousness because you are righteous.