The Bible is Necessary
Series: Your Word is Truth
Speaker: Steve Jeffrey
Date: 26th May 2024
Passage: Psalm 19:1-14
00:00:00 --> 00:00:02 My name's Steve, I haven't met you before.
00:00:02 --> 00:00:05 Senior pastor here is St Paul's, and if you've just joined in,
00:00:06 --> 00:00:10 we are now partway through a series looking at the Bible,
00:00:11 --> 00:00:13 and with the hope that we would grow in confidence
00:00:13 --> 00:00:16 that what we have in front of us is God's Word,
00:00:16 --> 00:00:19 because we want confidence not just so much in God's Word,
00:00:19 --> 00:00:21 but we certainly want confidence in the God of His Word.
00:00:22 --> 00:00:25 So we've looked at God's Word as truth in its entirety,
00:00:25 --> 00:00:28 we've looked at why we should be able to take it seriously,
00:00:28 --> 00:00:33 historically, and now we just started last week
00:00:33 --> 00:00:35 in looking at some of the attributes of the Bible,
00:00:36 --> 00:00:39 such as God's Word is enough, the sufficiency of Scripture,
00:00:40 --> 00:00:43 and today we're looking at the necessity of the Bible.
00:00:44 --> 00:00:49 So keep your books, Bibles open, sorry, at Psalm 19.
00:00:50 --> 00:00:54 In his book, Reflections on the Psalm, C.S. Lewis declares
00:00:54 --> 00:00:58 that Psalm 19 is the greatest poem in the Psalter.
00:00:58 --> 00:01:01 And one of the greatest lyrics in the world.
00:01:02 --> 00:01:04 And so that puts a little bit of pressure on me this morning.
00:01:05 --> 00:01:06 Thank you for that, C.S.
00:01:07 --> 00:01:11 But Psalm, I would agree, Psalm 19 is a phenomenal psalm.
00:01:11 --> 00:01:16 It's all about how God communicates to us.
00:01:17 --> 00:01:21 And this psalm breaks up beautifully, for my sake, into three parts.
00:01:21 --> 00:01:24 It tells us about the silent Word of God,
00:01:24 --> 00:01:27 the perfect and powerful Word of God,
00:01:27 --> 00:01:30 and finally, the necessity of the Word of God.
00:01:31 --> 00:01:33 That's the three steps we're taking this morning.
00:01:34 --> 00:01:38 So the first six verses in the silent Word of God
00:01:38 --> 00:01:40 are all about communication.
00:01:40 --> 00:01:44 They refer to declaring, proclaiming, speech,
00:01:44 --> 00:01:47 revealing knowledge about God and His glory.
00:01:48 --> 00:01:53 This speech is coming from the natural world.
00:01:54 --> 00:01:56 It's from the heavens, the moon, the stars,
00:01:56 --> 00:01:59 the oceans, the mountains, the valleys, that sort of thing.
00:01:59 --> 00:02:03 The paradox of this speech in verse 3,
00:02:03 --> 00:02:04 which says,
00:02:05 --> 00:02:07 they have no speech,
00:02:08 --> 00:02:10 they use no words,
00:02:10 --> 00:02:13 no sound is heard from them.
00:02:14 --> 00:02:16 And yet, verse 4,
00:02:17 --> 00:02:21 their voice goes out into all the earth,
00:02:21 --> 00:02:23 the words to the ends of the world.
00:02:24 --> 00:02:27 That's the paradox in verses 3 and 4.
00:02:27 --> 00:02:29 There is no sound,
00:02:31 --> 00:02:34 and yet there isn't a place in all creation
00:02:34 --> 00:02:39 where the knowledge of God isn't loudly heard,
00:02:40 --> 00:02:42 clearly heard.
00:02:44 --> 00:02:48 This paradox is simply a poetic way
00:02:48 --> 00:02:51 of describing non-verbal communication.
00:02:52 --> 00:02:57 There is such a thing as speechless speech.
00:02:57 --> 00:03:00 As wordless words.
00:03:01 --> 00:03:05 That is, we can communicate through gestures,
00:03:05 --> 00:03:09 we can communicate through facial expressions.
00:03:09 --> 00:03:12 The natural world,
00:03:12 --> 00:03:13 is what it's saying here,
00:03:13 --> 00:03:15 is sending us
00:03:15 --> 00:03:19 non-verbal information about God.
00:03:21 --> 00:03:23 Psalm 19 is an answer
00:03:23 --> 00:03:25 to a whole set of questions,
00:03:25 --> 00:03:26 if you like.
00:03:27 --> 00:03:28 Questions like,
00:03:28 --> 00:03:30 why is it when we gaze at the ocean,
00:03:31 --> 00:03:32 or see a sunset,
00:03:33 --> 00:03:34 or an eagle soaring,
00:03:34 --> 00:03:36 or stand before a mountain peak
00:03:36 --> 00:03:38 that's capped with snow,
00:03:39 --> 00:03:42 or stand on the precipice of a huge gorge,
00:03:43 --> 00:03:44 or lay on our back in the darkness
00:03:44 --> 00:03:45 out in the country,
00:03:46 --> 00:03:47 can't do this in Chatswood,
00:03:47 --> 00:03:48 and you look up
00:03:48 --> 00:03:50 and you see the galaxies before you,
00:03:50 --> 00:03:53 why do these things
00:03:53 --> 00:03:55 captivate us?
00:03:57 --> 00:03:58 Move us.
00:03:59 --> 00:04:01 Fill us with a sense of
00:04:01 --> 00:04:02 joy,
00:04:03 --> 00:04:03 or wonder,
00:04:04 --> 00:04:05 or grandeur,
00:04:05 --> 00:04:05 or
00:04:05 --> 00:04:08 the wow factor.
00:04:09 --> 00:04:10 Why does it do that?
00:04:11 --> 00:04:13 The answer of the Bible
00:04:13 --> 00:04:16 is nature affects us
00:04:16 --> 00:04:16 like
00:04:16 --> 00:04:18 great art,
00:04:18 --> 00:04:18 or a
00:04:18 --> 00:04:20 blockbuster movie,
00:04:21 --> 00:04:23 or a great piece of architecture,
00:04:23 --> 00:04:25 or well-written music,
00:04:25 --> 00:04:27 because that is what
00:04:27 --> 00:04:29 the created order is.
00:04:30 --> 00:04:31 It's a masterpiece.
00:04:33 --> 00:04:34 It's a masterpiece.
00:04:36 --> 00:04:38 It is the work of God's hands.
00:04:39 --> 00:04:40 Everything in nature
00:04:40 --> 00:04:41 is declaring to us
00:04:41 --> 00:04:44 that we are not an accident,
00:04:45 --> 00:04:46 that we are a product
00:04:46 --> 00:04:49 of an artistic vision.
00:04:51 --> 00:04:53 We're the product of design.
00:04:54 --> 00:04:56 We're the product of passion,
00:04:56 --> 00:04:58 of imagination,
00:04:58 --> 00:04:59 of purpose,
00:04:59 --> 00:05:00 of intentionality,
00:05:01 --> 00:05:03 of the greatest artist
00:05:03 --> 00:05:04 and designer
00:05:04 --> 00:05:05 that this world
00:05:05 --> 00:05:06 has ever
00:05:06 --> 00:05:07 or will ever know.
00:05:09 --> 00:05:11 And even if
00:05:11 --> 00:05:12 our life
00:05:12 --> 00:05:13 is a entire
00:05:13 --> 00:05:14 mess,
00:05:14 --> 00:05:16 or even if
00:05:16 --> 00:05:17 we don't believe
00:05:17 --> 00:05:18 in God
00:05:18 --> 00:05:19 at all,
00:05:20 --> 00:05:23 you still can't help
00:05:23 --> 00:05:24 to be captivated
00:05:24 --> 00:05:25 by the natural world.
00:05:29 --> 00:05:30 No matter
00:05:30 --> 00:05:31 our belief system,
00:05:31 --> 00:05:33 we can't stop
00:05:33 --> 00:05:34 the natural
00:05:34 --> 00:05:34 order
00:05:34 --> 00:05:35 speaking to us.
00:05:35 --> 00:05:39 we are not an accident.
00:05:41 --> 00:05:42 Verse 4 tells us
00:05:42 --> 00:05:43 that at some level
00:05:43 --> 00:05:46 everyone is hearing
00:05:46 --> 00:05:47 this message
00:05:47 --> 00:05:48 in the world.
00:05:49 --> 00:05:50 As John Calvin
00:05:50 --> 00:05:51 puts it
00:05:51 --> 00:05:52 in his commentary
00:05:52 --> 00:05:53 on the Psalms,
00:05:53 --> 00:05:54 there is certainly
00:05:54 --> 00:05:55 nothing
00:05:55 --> 00:05:56 so obscure
00:05:56 --> 00:05:57 or contemptible
00:05:57 --> 00:05:58 even in the
00:05:58 --> 00:05:59 smallest
00:05:59 --> 00:06:00 corners
00:06:00 --> 00:06:01 of the earth
00:06:01 --> 00:06:02 in which
00:06:02 --> 00:06:03 some marks
00:06:03 --> 00:06:03 of the power
00:06:03 --> 00:06:04 and the wisdom
00:06:04 --> 00:06:05 of God
00:06:05 --> 00:06:06 may not be seen.
00:06:07 --> 00:06:08 There is no
00:06:08 --> 00:06:09 language
00:06:09 --> 00:06:10 nor speech
00:06:10 --> 00:06:11 where their voice
00:06:11 --> 00:06:12 is not heard.
00:06:17 --> 00:06:17 Frankly,
00:06:18 --> 00:06:18 I don't know
00:06:18 --> 00:06:19 of another
00:06:19 --> 00:06:20 view of reality
00:06:20 --> 00:06:22 that gives
00:06:22 --> 00:06:23 us
00:06:23 --> 00:06:24 a higher view
00:06:24 --> 00:06:25 of the natural
00:06:25 --> 00:06:26 world
00:06:26 --> 00:06:27 than Christianity.
00:06:28 --> 00:06:29 Eastern religions
00:06:29 --> 00:06:31 and philosophies
00:06:31 --> 00:06:31 basically see
00:06:31 --> 00:06:32 the natural world
00:06:32 --> 00:06:33 as an illusion.
00:06:34 --> 00:06:34 The Western
00:06:34 --> 00:06:35 secular world
00:06:35 --> 00:06:36 sees the natural
00:06:36 --> 00:06:37 world
00:06:37 --> 00:06:37 as a random
00:06:37 --> 00:06:38 accident.
00:06:41 --> 00:06:42 What other
00:06:42 --> 00:06:43 view of reality
00:06:43 --> 00:06:44 gives us
00:06:44 --> 00:06:46 more reverence
00:06:46 --> 00:06:48 for the world
00:06:48 --> 00:06:49 and for others
00:06:49 --> 00:06:50 than biblical
00:06:50 --> 00:06:51 Christianity?
00:06:53 --> 00:06:54 Now,
00:06:54 --> 00:06:54 as good
00:06:54 --> 00:06:55 as all
00:06:55 --> 00:06:56 this is,
00:06:57 --> 00:06:58 Psalm 19
00:06:58 --> 00:06:59 cannot end
00:06:59 --> 00:07:00 at verse 6.
00:07:02 --> 00:07:03 nature
00:07:03 --> 00:07:04 by itself
00:07:04 --> 00:07:04 is not
00:07:04 --> 00:07:05 enough.
00:07:06 --> 00:07:06 Nature
00:07:06 --> 00:07:07 doesn't tell
00:07:07 --> 00:07:07 us enough
00:07:07 --> 00:07:08 about God.
00:07:08 --> 00:07:08 It doesn't
00:07:08 --> 00:07:09 give us
00:07:09 --> 00:07:10 everything we
00:07:10 --> 00:07:11 need to
00:07:11 --> 00:07:11 know.
00:07:12 --> 00:07:13 As great
00:07:13 --> 00:07:14 as nature
00:07:14 --> 00:07:15 is in
00:07:15 --> 00:07:15 terms of
00:07:15 --> 00:07:16 revealing
00:07:16 --> 00:07:17 a divine
00:07:17 --> 00:07:18 designer,
00:07:19 --> 00:07:19 that
00:07:19 --> 00:07:21 information,
00:07:22 --> 00:07:22 that revelation,
00:07:23 --> 00:07:23 if you like,
00:07:23 --> 00:07:24 is mixed.
00:07:24 --> 00:07:25 It is unclear
00:07:25 --> 00:07:27 and non-verbal
00:07:27 --> 00:07:27 communication
00:07:27 --> 00:07:28 is always
00:07:28 --> 00:07:29 like that.
00:07:29 --> 00:07:30 You cannot
00:07:30 --> 00:07:31 communicate
00:07:31 --> 00:07:32 specifics
00:07:32 --> 00:07:33 non-verbally.
00:07:34 --> 00:07:35 You cannot
00:07:35 --> 00:07:35 say,
00:07:35 --> 00:07:36 I'll meet you
00:07:36 --> 00:07:36 at dinner
00:07:36 --> 00:07:37 at 6 o'clock
00:07:37 --> 00:07:37 tonight down
00:07:37 --> 00:07:38 at the Bavarian
00:07:38 --> 00:07:39 Beer Cafe
00:07:39 --> 00:07:40 in Chatswood
00:07:40 --> 00:07:41 and it's on
00:07:41 --> 00:07:42 this street.
00:07:42 --> 00:07:42 You can't
00:07:42 --> 00:07:43 communicate
00:07:43 --> 00:07:44 that non-verbally.
00:07:45 --> 00:07:46 You need
00:07:46 --> 00:07:47 specifics.
00:07:47 --> 00:07:47 You need
00:07:47 --> 00:07:48 words.
00:07:50 --> 00:07:51 Non-verbal
00:07:51 --> 00:07:51 communication
00:07:51 --> 00:07:53 is always
00:07:53 --> 00:07:53 mixed.
00:07:56 --> 00:07:57 Falling to
00:07:57 --> 00:07:58 sleep during
00:07:58 --> 00:07:58 the middle
00:07:58 --> 00:07:58 of a sermon
00:07:58 --> 00:07:59 is a form
00:07:59 --> 00:08:00 of non-verbal
00:08:00 --> 00:08:01 communication.
00:08:02 --> 00:08:02 But it's
00:08:02 --> 00:08:02 mixed
00:08:02 --> 00:08:03 communication.
00:08:05 --> 00:08:05 You may
00:08:05 --> 00:08:06 be entirely
00:08:06 --> 00:08:08 bored or
00:08:08 --> 00:08:09 you may
00:08:09 --> 00:08:09 have sleep
00:08:09 --> 00:08:10 apnea.
00:08:13 --> 00:08:14 It's still
00:08:14 --> 00:08:14 non-verbal
00:08:14 --> 00:08:15 even if
00:08:15 --> 00:08:15 you're
00:08:15 --> 00:08:15 snoring,
00:08:15 --> 00:08:15 by the
00:08:15 --> 00:08:15 way.
00:08:19 --> 00:08:20 It's a
00:08:20 --> 00:08:20 result of
00:08:20 --> 00:08:21 many things.
00:08:23 --> 00:08:24 So does
00:08:24 --> 00:08:26 nature really
00:08:26 --> 00:08:26 point to a
00:08:26 --> 00:08:27 designer and
00:08:27 --> 00:08:27 a creative
00:08:27 --> 00:08:28 God?
00:08:28 --> 00:08:28 Yes.
00:08:29 --> 00:08:29 But there
00:08:29 --> 00:08:29 are mixed
00:08:29 --> 00:08:31 messages because
00:08:31 --> 00:08:32 in this same
00:08:32 --> 00:08:33 created order we
00:08:33 --> 00:08:34 have natural
00:08:34 --> 00:08:35 disasters.
00:08:36 --> 00:08:36 We have all
00:08:36 --> 00:08:37 sorts of
00:08:37 --> 00:08:37 disease and
00:08:37 --> 00:08:37 decay.
00:08:38 --> 00:08:39 And Romans
00:08:39 --> 00:08:40 1 tells us
00:08:40 --> 00:08:41 it is so
00:08:41 --> 00:08:42 easy to
00:08:42 --> 00:08:43 misinterpret
00:08:43 --> 00:08:44 and repress
00:08:44 --> 00:08:45 what nature
00:08:45 --> 00:08:46 is telling
00:08:46 --> 00:08:46 us.
00:08:47 --> 00:08:48 We need
00:08:48 --> 00:08:49 something more
00:08:49 --> 00:08:50 than God's
00:08:50 --> 00:08:51 silent word.
00:08:52 --> 00:08:52 We need
00:08:52 --> 00:08:53 his perfect
00:08:53 --> 00:08:54 and powerful
00:08:54 --> 00:08:54 word.
00:08:54 --> 00:08:54 God.
00:08:54 --> 00:08:56 The doctrine
00:08:56 --> 00:08:57 of the
00:08:57 --> 00:08:57 necessity of
00:08:57 --> 00:08:58 scripture
00:08:58 --> 00:09:00 reminds us
00:09:00 --> 00:09:01 of our
00:09:01 --> 00:09:01 predicament.
00:09:03 --> 00:09:04 The God
00:09:04 --> 00:09:05 who we
00:09:05 --> 00:09:06 need to
00:09:06 --> 00:09:07 know the
00:09:07 --> 00:09:08 most cannot
00:09:08 --> 00:09:09 be discovered
00:09:09 --> 00:09:10 on our
00:09:10 --> 00:09:10 own.
00:09:11 --> 00:09:12 It also
00:09:12 --> 00:09:13 assures us
00:09:13 --> 00:09:13 that the
00:09:13 --> 00:09:14 solution to
00:09:14 --> 00:09:14 our predicament
00:09:14 --> 00:09:15 is in fact
00:09:15 --> 00:09:16 to create a
00:09:16 --> 00:09:17 God who
00:09:17 --> 00:09:18 has made
00:09:18 --> 00:09:18 himself known
00:09:18 --> 00:09:19 through his
00:09:19 --> 00:09:19 word.
00:09:19 --> 00:09:21 So as
00:09:21 --> 00:09:21 the
00:09:21 --> 00:09:21 Westminster
00:09:21 --> 00:09:22 Confession
00:09:22 --> 00:09:22 of Faith
00:09:22 --> 00:09:23 puts it,
00:09:23 --> 00:09:23 although the
00:09:23 --> 00:09:24 light of
00:09:24 --> 00:09:25 nature and
00:09:25 --> 00:09:25 the works
00:09:25 --> 00:09:26 of creation
00:09:26 --> 00:09:27 and providence
00:09:27 --> 00:09:28 do so far
00:09:28 --> 00:09:29 manifest the
00:09:29 --> 00:09:29 goodness,
00:09:29 --> 00:09:30 wisdom and
00:09:30 --> 00:09:30 power of
00:09:30 --> 00:09:31 God as
00:09:31 --> 00:09:32 to leave
00:09:32 --> 00:09:33 humanity
00:09:33 --> 00:09:34 inexcusable,
00:09:36 --> 00:09:36 yet are
00:09:36 --> 00:09:37 they not
00:09:37 --> 00:09:38 sufficient to
00:09:38 --> 00:09:38 give that
00:09:38 --> 00:09:39 knowledge of
00:09:39 --> 00:09:39 God and
00:09:39 --> 00:09:40 his will
00:09:40 --> 00:09:41 which is
00:09:41 --> 00:09:42 necessary for
00:09:42 --> 00:09:44 salvation.
00:09:45 --> 00:09:45 The
00:09:45 --> 00:09:46 Westminster
00:09:46 --> 00:09:46 Confession
00:09:46 --> 00:09:48 goes on to
00:09:48 --> 00:09:48 say,
00:09:48 --> 00:09:49 the Bible
00:09:49 --> 00:09:50 is most
00:09:50 --> 00:09:51 necessary.
00:09:52 --> 00:09:53 Or to
00:09:53 --> 00:09:54 use a
00:09:54 --> 00:09:55 phrase again
00:09:55 --> 00:09:55 of John
00:09:55 --> 00:09:56 Calvin's,
00:09:56 --> 00:09:57 the Bible
00:09:57 --> 00:09:57 are the
00:09:57 --> 00:09:58 spectacles
00:09:58 --> 00:09:59 through which
00:09:59 --> 00:10:00 we see
00:10:00 --> 00:10:00 God,
00:10:01 --> 00:10:01 we see
00:10:01 --> 00:10:02 the world
00:10:02 --> 00:10:03 and we
00:10:03 --> 00:10:03 see
00:10:03 --> 00:10:04 ourselves.
00:10:05 --> 00:10:05 That's
00:10:05 --> 00:10:06 Institutes
00:10:06 --> 00:10:06 Book 1
00:10:06 --> 00:10:08 chapter 6
00:10:08 --> 00:10:08 in case you
00:10:08 --> 00:10:09 want to
00:10:09 --> 00:10:09 look that
00:10:09 --> 00:10:10 one up.
00:10:11 --> 00:10:12 We cannot
00:10:12 --> 00:10:14 truly know
00:10:14 --> 00:10:14 God,
00:10:15 --> 00:10:16 his will
00:10:16 --> 00:10:16 or the
00:10:16 --> 00:10:17 way of
00:10:17 --> 00:10:17 salvation
00:10:17 --> 00:10:18 apart from
00:10:18 --> 00:10:18 the Bible
00:10:18 --> 00:10:19 and we
00:10:19 --> 00:10:19 see this
00:10:19 --> 00:10:21 in Psalm
00:10:21 --> 00:10:21 19.
00:10:22 --> 00:10:22 In verses
00:10:22 --> 00:10:23 7 to
00:10:23 --> 00:10:23 12,
00:10:24 --> 00:10:25 King David,
00:10:25 --> 00:10:25 the author
00:10:25 --> 00:10:26 of this
00:10:26 --> 00:10:26 psalm,
00:10:27 --> 00:10:28 introduces
00:10:28 --> 00:10:28 us to
00:10:28 --> 00:10:29 the perfect
00:10:29 --> 00:10:29 word.
00:10:30 --> 00:10:31 This is
00:10:31 --> 00:10:31 the perfect
00:10:31 --> 00:10:32 necessary
00:10:32 --> 00:10:33 word of
00:10:33 --> 00:10:33 God.
00:10:33 --> 00:10:34 The
00:10:34 --> 00:10:34 perfect
00:10:34 --> 00:10:35 necessary
00:10:35 --> 00:10:35 particular
00:10:35 --> 00:10:36 specific
00:10:36 --> 00:10:37 communication
00:10:37 --> 00:10:37 to God,
00:10:38 --> 00:10:38 from God
00:10:38 --> 00:10:40 to humanity
00:10:40 --> 00:10:40 comes to
00:10:40 --> 00:10:41 us through
00:10:41 --> 00:10:42 the
00:10:42 --> 00:10:42 scriptures,
00:10:43 --> 00:10:43 the
00:10:43 --> 00:10:43 Christian
00:10:43 --> 00:10:43 Bible.
00:10:44 --> 00:10:45 Notice
00:10:45 --> 00:10:45 again the
00:10:45 --> 00:10:46 emphasis in
00:10:46 --> 00:10:46 these verses
00:10:46 --> 00:10:47 on words,
00:10:48 --> 00:10:48 laws,
00:10:48 --> 00:10:49 statutes,
00:10:49 --> 00:10:50 precepts,
00:10:50 --> 00:10:50 commands,
00:10:50 --> 00:10:50 decrees,
00:10:51 --> 00:10:51 they are all
00:10:51 --> 00:10:52 different ways
00:10:52 --> 00:10:54 to express
00:10:54 --> 00:10:55 the same
00:10:55 --> 00:10:56 reality and
00:10:56 --> 00:10:57 that is
00:10:57 --> 00:10:58 the entire
00:10:58 --> 00:10:58 word of
00:10:58 --> 00:10:59 God,
00:11:00 --> 00:11:00 the scriptures.
00:11:02 --> 00:11:03 They're not
00:11:03 --> 00:11:03 referring to
00:11:03 --> 00:11:04 different parts
00:11:04 --> 00:11:05 of the Bible,
00:11:06 --> 00:11:06 they are all
00:11:06 --> 00:11:07 different ways
00:11:07 --> 00:11:08 of referring to
00:11:08 --> 00:11:09 the Bible.
00:11:09 --> 00:11:09 people.
00:11:11 --> 00:11:12 And these
00:11:12 --> 00:11:13 verses tell us
00:11:13 --> 00:11:13 two things
00:11:13 --> 00:11:14 about the
00:11:14 --> 00:11:14 Bible.
00:11:15 --> 00:11:15 Firstly,
00:11:15 --> 00:11:16 the perfection
00:11:16 --> 00:11:17 of the
00:11:17 --> 00:11:17 Bible.
00:11:18 --> 00:11:19 See the
00:11:19 --> 00:11:19 words that
00:11:19 --> 00:11:19 are used
00:11:19 --> 00:11:20 to describe
00:11:20 --> 00:11:20 the Bible
00:11:20 --> 00:11:20 in the
00:11:20 --> 00:11:21 perfect,
00:11:22 --> 00:11:22 trustworthy,
00:11:23 --> 00:11:23 right,
00:11:24 --> 00:11:24 radiant,
00:11:25 --> 00:11:25 firm,
00:11:26 --> 00:11:26 precious,
00:11:27 --> 00:11:27 sweet.
00:11:28 --> 00:11:29 They are
00:11:29 --> 00:11:30 very good
00:11:30 --> 00:11:30 and they
00:11:30 --> 00:11:31 are very
00:11:31 --> 00:11:32 strong words.
00:11:33 --> 00:11:33 Take,
00:11:34 --> 00:11:34 for instance,
00:11:34 --> 00:11:34 the word
00:11:34 --> 00:11:35 right in
00:11:35 --> 00:11:36 verse
00:11:36 --> 00:11:36 eight.
00:11:36 --> 00:11:37 It's a
00:11:37 --> 00:11:38 really
00:11:38 --> 00:11:38 important
00:11:38 --> 00:11:39 word because
00:11:39 --> 00:11:39 it literally
00:11:39 --> 00:11:40 means the
00:11:40 --> 00:11:41 straight edge.
00:11:43 --> 00:11:44 It's a
00:11:44 --> 00:11:44 straight edge
00:11:44 --> 00:11:45 by which
00:11:45 --> 00:11:46 all other
00:11:46 --> 00:11:46 things are
00:11:46 --> 00:11:47 measured.
00:11:47 --> 00:11:47 God's
00:11:47 --> 00:11:48 word is the
00:11:48 --> 00:11:49 straight edge
00:11:49 --> 00:11:49 by which
00:11:49 --> 00:11:49 all other
00:11:49 --> 00:11:51 words are
00:11:51 --> 00:11:51 measured.
00:11:53 --> 00:11:53 We cannot
00:11:53 --> 00:11:54 determine
00:11:54 --> 00:11:55 whether
00:11:55 --> 00:11:56 scripture is
00:11:56 --> 00:11:56 true or
00:11:56 --> 00:11:57 right by
00:11:57 --> 00:11:58 any other
00:11:58 --> 00:11:58 standard.
00:11:59 --> 00:12:00 All other
00:12:00 --> 00:12:02 standards are
00:12:02 --> 00:12:03 judged by
00:12:03 --> 00:12:03 the scriptures
00:12:03 --> 00:12:04 themselves.
00:12:05 --> 00:12:05 Take also
00:12:05 --> 00:12:06 verse nine.
00:12:06 --> 00:12:07 where it
00:12:07 --> 00:12:07 says the
00:12:07 --> 00:12:08 decrees of
00:12:08 --> 00:12:09 the Lord
00:12:09 --> 00:12:10 are firm
00:12:10 --> 00:12:11 and all
00:12:11 --> 00:12:11 of them
00:12:11 --> 00:12:12 are righteous.
00:12:12 --> 00:12:12 The word
00:12:12 --> 00:12:13 firm there
00:12:13 --> 00:12:13 means sure
00:12:13 --> 00:12:14 and certain,
00:12:14 --> 00:12:15 bedrock,
00:12:15 --> 00:12:16 foundational.
00:12:17 --> 00:12:17 This verse
00:12:17 --> 00:12:18 is saying
00:12:18 --> 00:12:18 that every
00:12:18 --> 00:12:20 single
00:12:20 --> 00:12:21 part of
00:12:21 --> 00:12:21 scripture
00:12:21 --> 00:12:23 is equally
00:12:23 --> 00:12:24 sure,
00:12:24 --> 00:12:24 equally
00:12:24 --> 00:12:25 certain,
00:12:25 --> 00:12:26 equally
00:12:26 --> 00:12:26 trustworthy,
00:12:27 --> 00:12:27 equally
00:12:27 --> 00:12:28 right,
00:12:28 --> 00:12:28 equally
00:12:28 --> 00:12:29 perfect.
00:12:29 --> 00:12:30 All of
00:12:30 --> 00:12:30 it.
00:12:33 --> 00:12:33 The
00:12:33 --> 00:12:34 perfectionist
00:12:34 --> 00:12:34 scripture
00:12:34 --> 00:12:36 scripture is
00:12:36 --> 00:12:37 stated in
00:12:37 --> 00:12:37 the most
00:12:37 --> 00:12:38 remarkable
00:12:38 --> 00:12:39 way in
00:12:39 --> 00:12:41 this psalm.
00:12:41 --> 00:12:42 But the
00:12:42 --> 00:12:42 second thing
00:12:42 --> 00:12:42 we notice
00:12:42 --> 00:12:43 is the
00:12:43 --> 00:12:44 power of
00:12:44 --> 00:12:44 the Bible
00:12:44 --> 00:12:45 in these
00:12:45 --> 00:12:46 verses.
00:12:47 --> 00:12:47 I get this
00:12:47 --> 00:12:48 from the
00:12:48 --> 00:12:49 second line
00:12:49 --> 00:12:50 of each
00:12:50 --> 00:12:50 of the
00:12:50 --> 00:12:50 poetic
00:12:50 --> 00:12:51 statements.
00:12:52 --> 00:12:52 So for
00:12:52 --> 00:12:53 instance,
00:12:53 --> 00:12:53 verse seven,
00:12:53 --> 00:12:53 the Bible
00:12:53 --> 00:12:54 has the
00:12:54 --> 00:12:54 power to
00:12:54 --> 00:12:56 refresh the
00:12:56 --> 00:12:56 soul.
00:12:58 --> 00:12:59 I'm just
00:12:59 --> 00:12:59 going to pick
00:12:59 --> 00:12:59 up three of
00:12:59 --> 00:13:00 them.
00:13:00 --> 00:13:01 has the
00:13:01 --> 00:13:01 power to
00:13:01 --> 00:13:02 refresh the
00:13:02 --> 00:13:02 soul.
00:13:02 --> 00:13:03 The word
00:13:03 --> 00:13:03 soul there
00:13:03 --> 00:13:03 in verse
00:13:03 --> 00:13:04 seven,
00:13:04 --> 00:13:05 the original
00:13:05 --> 00:13:05 word is
00:13:05 --> 00:13:06 the word
00:13:06 --> 00:13:06 psych.
00:13:07 --> 00:13:08 The best
00:13:08 --> 00:13:08 way to
00:13:08 --> 00:13:09 translate
00:13:09 --> 00:13:10 this is
00:13:10 --> 00:13:11 that the
00:13:11 --> 00:13:12 Bible has
00:13:12 --> 00:13:13 the power
00:13:13 --> 00:13:14 to show
00:13:14 --> 00:13:14 you who
00:13:14 --> 00:13:16 you are,
00:13:17 --> 00:13:17 who you
00:13:17 --> 00:13:18 really are.
00:13:20 --> 00:13:21 It has the
00:13:21 --> 00:13:22 power to
00:13:22 --> 00:13:24 restore who
00:13:24 --> 00:13:25 you are,
00:13:26 --> 00:13:27 to restore
00:13:27 --> 00:13:28 your true
00:13:28 --> 00:13:28 identity.
00:13:30 --> 00:13:31 Of course,
00:13:31 --> 00:13:32 this means
00:13:32 --> 00:13:33 that there
00:13:33 --> 00:13:33 is something
00:13:33 --> 00:13:34 desperately
00:13:34 --> 00:13:35 wrong with
00:13:35 --> 00:13:35 our
00:13:35 --> 00:13:35 identities.
00:13:37 --> 00:13:37 We are
00:13:37 --> 00:13:38 out of
00:13:38 --> 00:13:40 touch with
00:13:40 --> 00:13:40 who we
00:13:40 --> 00:13:41 are,
00:13:42 --> 00:13:43 who we
00:13:43 --> 00:13:44 really are.
00:13:44 --> 00:13:44 It's an
00:13:44 --> 00:13:44 amazing
00:13:44 --> 00:13:45 claim.
00:13:46 --> 00:13:47 It's saying
00:13:47 --> 00:13:48 only the
00:13:48 --> 00:13:49 Bible can
00:13:49 --> 00:13:49 do that
00:13:49 --> 00:13:50 because when
00:13:50 --> 00:13:51 David writes
00:13:51 --> 00:13:51 in verse
00:13:51 --> 00:13:52 seven,
00:13:52 --> 00:13:52 the law
00:13:52 --> 00:13:53 of the
00:13:53 --> 00:13:53 Lord is
00:13:53 --> 00:13:53 perfect,
00:13:53 --> 00:13:54 refreshing
00:13:54 --> 00:13:54 the soul,
00:13:55 --> 00:13:56 he is in
00:13:56 --> 00:13:57 this moment
00:13:57 --> 00:13:58 contrasting the
00:13:58 --> 00:13:59 scriptures
00:13:59 --> 00:13:59 scriptures
00:13:59 --> 00:14:00 with
00:14:00 --> 00:14:01 nature.
00:14:05 --> 00:14:05 The
00:14:05 --> 00:14:06 Bible and
00:14:06 --> 00:14:06 the Bible
00:14:06 --> 00:14:07 alone can
00:14:07 --> 00:14:08 show you
00:14:08 --> 00:14:09 and make
00:14:09 --> 00:14:10 you who
00:14:10 --> 00:14:10 you are
00:14:10 --> 00:14:11 meant to
00:14:11 --> 00:14:11 be.
00:14:12 --> 00:14:12 Nature
00:14:12 --> 00:14:13 cannot do
00:14:13 --> 00:14:13 that in
00:14:13 --> 00:14:13 itself.
00:14:17 --> 00:14:17 Even
00:14:17 --> 00:14:18 though when
00:14:18 --> 00:14:18 we're all
00:14:18 --> 00:14:18 out of
00:14:18 --> 00:14:19 sorts,
00:14:20 --> 00:14:21 nature is
00:14:21 --> 00:14:22 often the
00:14:22 --> 00:14:22 first place
00:14:22 --> 00:14:23 we escape
00:14:23 --> 00:14:23 to.
00:14:23 --> 00:14:28 please do
00:14:28 --> 00:14:28 that.
00:14:28 --> 00:14:28 I mean,
00:14:28 --> 00:14:29 it's a
00:14:29 --> 00:14:29 great thing
00:14:29 --> 00:14:29 to do,
00:14:30 --> 00:14:31 but take
00:14:31 --> 00:14:31 your Bible
00:14:31 --> 00:14:31 with you.
00:14:35 --> 00:14:36 The
00:14:36 --> 00:14:37 Bible shows
00:14:37 --> 00:14:37 us just
00:14:37 --> 00:14:38 how much
00:14:38 --> 00:14:38 we are
00:14:38 --> 00:14:39 broken,
00:14:39 --> 00:14:39 how sinful
00:14:39 --> 00:14:40 we are,
00:14:40 --> 00:14:41 how flawed,
00:14:42 --> 00:14:43 even more
00:14:43 --> 00:14:43 flawed than
00:14:43 --> 00:14:43 we're prepared
00:14:43 --> 00:14:44 to acknowledge,
00:14:44 --> 00:14:45 but also at
00:14:45 --> 00:14:45 the same
00:14:45 --> 00:14:46 time,
00:14:46 --> 00:14:47 how valued
00:14:47 --> 00:14:48 and affirmed
00:14:48 --> 00:14:48 and forgiven
00:14:48 --> 00:14:49 and accepted
00:14:49 --> 00:14:49 and loved
00:14:49 --> 00:14:50 we are,
00:14:50 --> 00:14:50 more than
00:14:50 --> 00:14:51 we'd ever
00:14:51 --> 00:14:52 possibly imagine
00:14:52 --> 00:14:52 or dream.
00:14:54 --> 00:14:55 We are
00:14:55 --> 00:14:56 far worse
00:14:56 --> 00:14:57 and far
00:14:57 --> 00:14:59 better than
00:14:59 --> 00:14:59 we ever
00:14:59 --> 00:15:00 imagined,
00:15:00 --> 00:15:00 and the
00:15:00 --> 00:15:01 Bible shows
00:15:01 --> 00:15:01 us who
00:15:01 --> 00:15:01 we truly
00:15:01 --> 00:15:02 are.
00:15:04 --> 00:15:05 The
00:15:05 --> 00:15:06 Bible has
00:15:06 --> 00:15:06 the power
00:15:06 --> 00:15:07 to refresh
00:15:07 --> 00:15:07 the soul,
00:15:08 --> 00:15:10 but it
00:15:10 --> 00:15:10 also has
00:15:10 --> 00:15:11 the power,
00:15:11 --> 00:15:11 verse 7
00:15:11 --> 00:15:11 again,
00:15:12 --> 00:15:12 to make
00:15:12 --> 00:15:13 wise the
00:15:13 --> 00:15:13 simple.
00:15:14 --> 00:15:14 It has
00:15:14 --> 00:15:15 the power
00:15:15 --> 00:15:15 to make
00:15:15 --> 00:15:16 us wise
00:15:16 --> 00:15:17 so that
00:15:17 --> 00:15:17 we are
00:15:17 --> 00:15:18 able to
00:15:18 --> 00:15:19 navigate
00:15:19 --> 00:15:19 God's
00:15:19 --> 00:15:20 world
00:15:20 --> 00:15:21 well.
00:15:21 --> 00:15:22 One of
00:15:22 --> 00:15:23 my favourite
00:15:23 --> 00:15:24 quotes from
00:15:24 --> 00:15:24 American
00:15:24 --> 00:15:25 humorist and
00:15:25 --> 00:15:25 author Mark
00:15:25 --> 00:15:26 Twain,
00:15:26 --> 00:15:26 in fact it's
00:15:26 --> 00:15:26 probably the
00:15:26 --> 00:15:27 only quote
00:15:27 --> 00:15:28 really,
00:15:28 --> 00:15:29 I should have
00:15:29 --> 00:15:29 clarified that,
00:15:30 --> 00:15:30 the only one
00:15:30 --> 00:15:30 that I can
00:15:30 --> 00:15:31 remember,
00:15:32 --> 00:15:32 and it's
00:15:32 --> 00:15:33 therefore my
00:15:33 --> 00:15:33 favourite one,
00:15:33 --> 00:15:34 is the one
00:15:34 --> 00:15:35 where he says
00:15:35 --> 00:15:35 he's reflecting
00:15:35 --> 00:15:36 on his life,
00:15:36 --> 00:15:37 later in life
00:15:37 --> 00:15:37 reflects on his
00:15:37 --> 00:15:38 life and he
00:15:38 --> 00:15:38 made this
00:15:38 --> 00:15:39 claim,
00:15:39 --> 00:15:40 he said,
00:15:40 --> 00:15:40 when I was
00:15:40 --> 00:15:41 16,
00:15:42 --> 00:15:43 he said,
00:15:43 --> 00:15:44 I could not
00:15:44 --> 00:15:45 believe how
00:15:45 --> 00:15:46 ignorant my
00:15:46 --> 00:15:47 father was
00:15:47 --> 00:15:48 about the
00:15:48 --> 00:15:48 ways of the
00:15:48 --> 00:15:49 world.
00:15:49 --> 00:15:51 he said,
00:15:51 --> 00:15:51 when I
00:15:51 --> 00:15:52 turned 25,
00:15:52 --> 00:15:53 I was
00:15:53 --> 00:15:54 astounded by
00:15:54 --> 00:15:54 how much
00:15:54 --> 00:15:55 he'd grown
00:15:55 --> 00:15:55 up.
00:16:01 --> 00:16:01 Every
00:16:01 --> 00:16:02 growing,
00:16:02 --> 00:16:03 developing,
00:16:04 --> 00:16:04 maturing
00:16:04 --> 00:16:05 person I
00:16:05 --> 00:16:06 know is
00:16:06 --> 00:16:07 able to
00:16:07 --> 00:16:07 look back
00:16:07 --> 00:16:08 on their
00:16:08 --> 00:16:08 life 15
00:16:08 --> 00:16:09 years ago
00:16:09 --> 00:16:10 and see
00:16:10 --> 00:16:11 how foolish
00:16:11 --> 00:16:11 they were
00:16:11 --> 00:16:12 back then.
00:16:14 --> 00:16:15 Now it's
00:16:15 --> 00:16:15 pretty obvious
00:16:15 --> 00:16:16 when you
00:16:16 --> 00:16:16 compare your
00:16:16 --> 00:16:17 10-year-old
00:16:17 --> 00:16:17 self with
00:16:17 --> 00:16:18 your 25-year-old
00:16:18 --> 00:16:19 self.
00:16:20 --> 00:16:20 You look
00:16:20 --> 00:16:21 back on your
00:16:21 --> 00:16:21 10-year-old
00:16:21 --> 00:16:22 self and
00:16:22 --> 00:16:22 you go,
00:16:22 --> 00:16:23 I knew
00:16:23 --> 00:16:23 nothing.
00:16:24 --> 00:16:24 But it's
00:16:24 --> 00:16:25 also true
00:16:25 --> 00:16:25 when you
00:16:25 --> 00:16:26 compare your
00:16:26 --> 00:16:27 25-year-old
00:16:27 --> 00:16:27 self with
00:16:27 --> 00:16:28 your 40-year-old
00:16:28 --> 00:16:28 self.
00:16:30 --> 00:16:30 Or in
00:16:30 --> 00:16:31 my case,
00:16:31 --> 00:16:32 my 55-year-old
00:16:32 --> 00:16:32 self,
00:16:32 --> 00:16:33 my 40-year-old
00:16:33 --> 00:16:33 self,
00:16:33 --> 00:16:33 and you
00:16:33 --> 00:16:33 realise,
00:16:34 --> 00:16:34 I didn't
00:16:34 --> 00:16:35 know my
00:16:35 --> 00:16:35 heart as
00:16:35 --> 00:16:36 well then
00:16:36 --> 00:16:36 as I do
00:16:36 --> 00:16:36 now.
00:16:39 --> 00:16:39 I can
00:16:39 --> 00:16:40 think back
00:16:40 --> 00:16:41 of things
00:16:41 --> 00:16:41 in that
00:16:41 --> 00:16:42 time and
00:16:42 --> 00:16:43 I view
00:16:43 --> 00:16:44 them differently.
00:16:44 --> 00:16:44 My
00:16:44 --> 00:16:44 perspective
00:16:44 --> 00:16:45 has changed.
00:16:45 --> 00:16:46 My heart
00:16:46 --> 00:16:46 and my
00:16:46 --> 00:16:47 emotions have
00:16:47 --> 00:16:47 shifted.
00:16:47 --> 00:16:48 In that
00:16:48 --> 00:16:48 time.
00:16:50 --> 00:16:51 How much
00:16:51 --> 00:16:52 has changed
00:16:52 --> 00:16:52 in 15
00:16:52 --> 00:16:53 years?
00:16:53 --> 00:16:53 I was
00:16:53 --> 00:16:54 simple then.
00:16:54 --> 00:16:54 I'm wiser
00:16:54 --> 00:16:55 on those
00:16:55 --> 00:16:56 things now.
00:16:57 --> 00:16:58 Of course,
00:16:58 --> 00:16:58 you realise
00:16:58 --> 00:16:59 the implications
00:16:59 --> 00:16:59 of this,
00:16:59 --> 00:17:00 don't you?
00:17:00 --> 00:17:00 So,
00:17:00 --> 00:17:04 our current
00:17:04 --> 00:17:05 selves are
00:17:05 --> 00:17:05 going to
00:17:05 --> 00:17:06 look simple
00:17:06 --> 00:17:06 and foolish
00:17:06 --> 00:17:07 to our
00:17:07 --> 00:17:07 15 years
00:17:07 --> 00:17:08 from now
00:17:08 --> 00:17:08 selves,
00:17:08 --> 00:17:10 which means
00:17:10 --> 00:17:10 you're
00:17:10 --> 00:17:11 foolish now.
00:17:13 --> 00:17:14 It means
00:17:14 --> 00:17:14 you're
00:17:14 --> 00:17:15 simple now.
00:17:17 --> 00:17:17 Well,
00:17:18 --> 00:17:18 me too.
00:17:18 --> 00:17:18 I mean,
00:17:18 --> 00:17:19 I'm throwing
00:17:19 --> 00:17:19 myself in
00:17:19 --> 00:17:20 that one
00:17:20 --> 00:17:20 as well.
00:17:20 --> 00:17:20 It's not
00:17:20 --> 00:17:21 an accusation.
00:17:21 --> 00:17:22 I'm throwing
00:17:22 --> 00:17:22 myself in
00:17:22 --> 00:17:22 that one
00:17:22 --> 00:17:23 as well.
00:17:23 --> 00:17:25 So,
00:17:25 --> 00:17:25 what do we
00:17:25 --> 00:17:25 do with
00:17:25 --> 00:17:26 that,
00:17:26 --> 00:17:26 with the
00:17:26 --> 00:17:26 acknowledgement
00:17:26 --> 00:17:27 that God's
00:17:27 --> 00:17:27 word is
00:17:27 --> 00:17:28 telling me
00:17:28 --> 00:17:28 that I'm
00:17:28 --> 00:17:29 simple and
00:17:29 --> 00:17:29 foolish now?
00:17:30 --> 00:17:30 Verse 11,
00:17:30 --> 00:17:31 by them,
00:17:31 --> 00:17:32 talking about
00:17:32 --> 00:17:33 his word,
00:17:33 --> 00:17:34 your servant
00:17:34 --> 00:17:35 is warned
00:17:35 --> 00:17:37 in keeping
00:17:37 --> 00:17:37 them,
00:17:37 --> 00:17:37 there is
00:17:37 --> 00:17:38 great reward.
00:17:38 --> 00:17:40 The Bible
00:17:40 --> 00:17:41 warns us
00:17:41 --> 00:17:42 against the
00:17:42 --> 00:17:42 foolishness
00:17:42 --> 00:17:43 of life
00:17:43 --> 00:17:44 now,
00:17:44 --> 00:17:45 to get
00:17:45 --> 00:17:46 wise now.
00:17:47 --> 00:17:47 It makes
00:17:47 --> 00:17:48 wise the
00:17:48 --> 00:17:49 simple
00:17:49 --> 00:17:50 now.
00:17:55 --> 00:17:56 Third one,
00:17:56 --> 00:17:56 the Bible
00:17:56 --> 00:17:57 also has
00:17:57 --> 00:17:57 power to
00:17:57 --> 00:17:58 delight our
00:17:58 --> 00:17:59 hearts.
00:17:59 --> 00:17:59 Verse 8,
00:18:00 --> 00:18:01 the precepts
00:18:01 --> 00:18:01 of the Lord
00:18:01 --> 00:18:02 are right,
00:18:03 --> 00:18:03 giving joy
00:18:03 --> 00:18:04 to the heart.
00:18:04 --> 00:18:05 Verse 10
00:18:05 --> 00:18:05 expands on
00:18:05 --> 00:18:06 that joy.
00:18:06 --> 00:18:07 They are
00:18:07 --> 00:18:08 more precious
00:18:08 --> 00:18:09 than gold,
00:18:09 --> 00:18:10 than much
00:18:10 --> 00:18:11 pure gold.
00:18:11 --> 00:18:11 They are
00:18:11 --> 00:18:12 sweeter than
00:18:12 --> 00:18:12 honey,
00:18:12 --> 00:18:13 than honey
00:18:13 --> 00:18:13 from the
00:18:13 --> 00:18:14 honeycomb.
00:18:18 --> 00:18:19 What is
00:18:19 --> 00:18:19 interesting
00:18:19 --> 00:18:20 about this
00:18:20 --> 00:18:21 is that
00:18:21 --> 00:18:22 we would
00:18:22 --> 00:18:23 normally,
00:18:23 --> 00:18:24 for the
00:18:24 --> 00:18:24 Christian person,
00:18:24 --> 00:18:25 we would
00:18:25 --> 00:18:25 normally
00:18:25 --> 00:18:26 associate
00:18:26 --> 00:18:27 the sweet
00:18:27 --> 00:18:29 words of
00:18:29 --> 00:18:30 God,
00:18:30 --> 00:18:31 attach them
00:18:31 --> 00:18:32 to his
00:18:32 --> 00:18:33 promises,
00:18:33 --> 00:18:34 his mercy
00:18:34 --> 00:18:35 and his
00:18:35 --> 00:18:35 grace.
00:18:35 --> 00:18:36 We would
00:18:36 --> 00:18:37 not normally
00:18:37 --> 00:18:37 attach the
00:18:37 --> 00:18:38 sweetness of
00:18:38 --> 00:18:39 God's
00:18:39 --> 00:18:39 word to
00:18:39 --> 00:18:40 his law
00:18:40 --> 00:18:40 and his
00:18:40 --> 00:18:41 commands.
00:18:42 --> 00:18:43 We would
00:18:43 --> 00:18:43 not normally
00:18:43 --> 00:18:44 do that.
00:18:46 --> 00:18:47 We put up
00:18:47 --> 00:18:47 with the
00:18:47 --> 00:18:48 laws and
00:18:48 --> 00:18:48 the commands
00:18:48 --> 00:18:49 because of
00:18:49 --> 00:18:49 the sweetness
00:18:49 --> 00:18:50 of your
00:18:50 --> 00:18:50 character.
00:18:51 --> 00:18:51 That's how
00:18:51 --> 00:18:51 we would
00:18:51 --> 00:18:52 normally
00:18:52 --> 00:18:52 respond.
00:18:54 --> 00:18:54 Verse 1
00:18:54 --> 00:18:55 says a
00:18:55 --> 00:18:55 similar thing
00:18:55 --> 00:18:56 as this,
00:18:56 --> 00:18:57 blessed is
00:18:57 --> 00:18:57 the one
00:18:57 --> 00:18:58 whose delight
00:18:58 --> 00:18:58 is in the
00:18:58 --> 00:18:59 law of
00:18:59 --> 00:18:59 the Lord,
00:18:59 --> 00:19:01 who meditates
00:19:01 --> 00:19:01 on his
00:19:01 --> 00:19:02 law day
00:19:02 --> 00:19:03 and night.
00:19:03 --> 00:19:03 commands.
00:19:05 --> 00:19:06 You see,
00:19:06 --> 00:19:06 left to
00:19:06 --> 00:19:06 our own
00:19:06 --> 00:19:07 devices,
00:19:07 --> 00:19:07 we don't
00:19:07 --> 00:19:08 know how
00:19:08 --> 00:19:08 to obey
00:19:08 --> 00:19:09 commands
00:19:09 --> 00:19:10 except through
00:19:10 --> 00:19:11 some kind
00:19:11 --> 00:19:12 of coercion.
00:19:14 --> 00:19:15 How do
00:19:15 --> 00:19:15 we get to
00:19:15 --> 00:19:16 the point
00:19:16 --> 00:19:17 where we
00:19:17 --> 00:19:18 delight in
00:19:18 --> 00:19:18 God's
00:19:18 --> 00:19:19 commands in
00:19:19 --> 00:19:20 such a way
00:19:20 --> 00:19:20 they are
00:19:20 --> 00:19:21 sweet,
00:19:21 --> 00:19:22 they are
00:19:22 --> 00:19:22 good,
00:19:22 --> 00:19:22 they are
00:19:22 --> 00:19:23 majestic,
00:19:23 --> 00:19:23 they are
00:19:23 --> 00:19:24 beautiful,
00:19:24 --> 00:19:24 they are
00:19:24 --> 00:19:25 joyful?
00:19:27 --> 00:19:27 How do
00:19:27 --> 00:19:28 we get to
00:19:28 --> 00:19:28 that point?
00:19:28 --> 00:19:32 that requires
00:19:32 --> 00:19:33 a complete
00:19:33 --> 00:19:35 reset of
00:19:35 --> 00:19:36 the driving
00:19:36 --> 00:19:37 motivations of
00:19:37 --> 00:19:38 our lives.
00:19:41 --> 00:19:42 How do
00:19:42 --> 00:19:42 we get to
00:19:42 --> 00:19:44 this entire
00:19:44 --> 00:19:45 reformed
00:19:45 --> 00:19:46 identity
00:19:46 --> 00:19:48 where the
00:19:48 --> 00:19:48 simple are
00:19:48 --> 00:19:49 made wise
00:19:49 --> 00:19:51 and the
00:19:51 --> 00:19:51 reset of
00:19:51 --> 00:19:52 the inner
00:19:52 --> 00:19:53 drive of
00:19:53 --> 00:19:54 our lives?
00:19:56 --> 00:19:57 How does
00:19:57 --> 00:19:57 that come
00:19:57 --> 00:19:57 about?
00:19:59 --> 00:20:00 This is
00:20:00 --> 00:20:00 where we
00:20:00 --> 00:20:01 turn to
00:20:01 --> 00:20:01 the last
00:20:01 --> 00:20:02 section of
00:20:02 --> 00:20:03 Psalm 19
00:20:03 --> 00:20:03 and my
00:20:03 --> 00:20:04 last point.
00:20:05 --> 00:20:05 Reading from
00:20:05 --> 00:20:06 verse 12.
00:20:07 --> 00:20:07 But who
00:20:07 --> 00:20:08 can discern
00:20:08 --> 00:20:09 their own
00:20:09 --> 00:20:09 errors?
00:20:10 --> 00:20:11 Forgive my
00:20:11 --> 00:20:11 hidden faults.
00:20:13 --> 00:20:13 Keep your
00:20:13 --> 00:20:14 servant also
00:20:14 --> 00:20:15 from willful
00:20:15 --> 00:20:15 sins.
00:20:16 --> 00:20:17 May they
00:20:17 --> 00:20:17 not rule
00:20:17 --> 00:20:18 over me.
00:20:18 --> 00:20:19 Then I
00:20:19 --> 00:20:19 will be
00:20:19 --> 00:20:20 blameless,
00:20:20 --> 00:20:21 innocent of
00:20:21 --> 00:20:21 great
00:20:21 --> 00:20:21 transgression.
00:20:22 --> 00:20:23 May these
00:20:23 --> 00:20:23 words of
00:20:23 --> 00:20:24 my mouth
00:20:24 --> 00:20:25 and this
00:20:25 --> 00:20:26 meditation of
00:20:26 --> 00:20:26 my heart
00:20:26 --> 00:20:27 be pleasing
00:20:27 --> 00:20:27 in your
00:20:27 --> 00:20:28 sight.
00:20:28 --> 00:20:29 Lord my
00:20:29 --> 00:20:30 rock and
00:20:30 --> 00:20:30 my
00:20:30 --> 00:20:30 redeemer.
00:20:31 --> 00:20:32 Now,
00:20:32 --> 00:20:33 there's a
00:20:33 --> 00:20:34 contradiction
00:20:34 --> 00:20:34 in these
00:20:34 --> 00:20:35 verses.
00:20:36 --> 00:20:37 An apparent
00:20:37 --> 00:20:37 contradiction
00:20:37 --> 00:20:37 to these
00:20:37 --> 00:20:38 verses.
00:20:39 --> 00:20:40 David starts
00:20:40 --> 00:20:41 with who
00:20:41 --> 00:20:43 can discern
00:20:43 --> 00:20:44 their own
00:20:44 --> 00:20:45 errors.
00:20:45 --> 00:20:46 It's a
00:20:46 --> 00:20:46 rhetorical
00:20:46 --> 00:20:47 question where
00:20:47 --> 00:20:48 you're meant
00:20:48 --> 00:20:48 to come up
00:20:48 --> 00:20:49 with the
00:20:49 --> 00:20:49 conclusion of
00:20:49 --> 00:20:50 well actually
00:20:50 --> 00:20:50 no one
00:20:50 --> 00:20:50 can.
00:20:51 --> 00:20:52 No one
00:20:52 --> 00:20:52 can know
00:20:52 --> 00:20:53 their own
00:20:53 --> 00:20:53 errors.
00:20:53 --> 00:20:54 And then
00:20:54 --> 00:20:55 he adds
00:20:55 --> 00:20:56 keep your
00:20:56 --> 00:20:56 servant
00:20:56 --> 00:20:58 also from
00:20:58 --> 00:20:58 willful
00:20:58 --> 00:20:59 sins.
00:20:59 --> 00:20:59 May they
00:20:59 --> 00:21:00 not rule
00:21:00 --> 00:21:00 over me.
00:21:01 --> 00:21:01 Then I'll
00:21:01 --> 00:21:02 be blameless,
00:21:02 --> 00:21:03 innocent of
00:21:03 --> 00:21:03 great
00:21:03 --> 00:21:03 transgression.
00:21:06 --> 00:21:07 He adds
00:21:07 --> 00:21:08 there that
00:21:08 --> 00:21:09 the very
00:21:09 --> 00:21:10 best he
00:21:10 --> 00:21:10 can hope
00:21:10 --> 00:21:11 for is
00:21:11 --> 00:21:11 that he
00:21:11 --> 00:21:12 might be
00:21:12 --> 00:21:13 able to
00:21:13 --> 00:21:13 at very
00:21:13 --> 00:21:14 least identify
00:21:14 --> 00:21:16 the obvious
00:21:16 --> 00:21:17 sins in
00:21:17 --> 00:21:17 his life,
00:21:17 --> 00:21:18 the willful
00:21:18 --> 00:21:19 sins in
00:21:19 --> 00:21:19 his life,
00:21:19 --> 00:21:21 the ones
00:21:21 --> 00:21:21 that he
00:21:21 --> 00:21:22 deliberately
00:21:22 --> 00:21:23 chooses to
00:21:23 --> 00:21:23 break,
00:21:23 --> 00:21:24 if you like,
00:21:24 --> 00:21:24 the laws
00:21:24 --> 00:21:25 he chooses
00:21:25 --> 00:21:25 to break.
00:21:26 --> 00:21:26 And he
00:21:26 --> 00:21:27 says if I
00:21:27 --> 00:21:27 can avoid
00:21:27 --> 00:21:28 those,
00:21:29 --> 00:21:29 then I'll
00:21:29 --> 00:21:30 be innocent
00:21:30 --> 00:21:31 of great
00:21:31 --> 00:21:32 transgressions.
00:21:32 --> 00:21:32 He's speaking
00:21:32 --> 00:21:33 here like a
00:21:33 --> 00:21:33 moralist.
00:21:34 --> 00:21:35 If I can
00:21:35 --> 00:21:35 avoid the
00:21:35 --> 00:21:36 big things,
00:21:36 --> 00:21:36 then I'll
00:21:36 --> 00:21:36 be innocent
00:21:36 --> 00:21:37 of great
00:21:37 --> 00:21:38 transgressions,
00:21:38 --> 00:21:38 the obvious
00:21:38 --> 00:21:39 ones,
00:21:39 --> 00:21:39 the deliberate
00:21:39 --> 00:21:40 singing,
00:21:40 --> 00:21:40 the stuff
00:21:40 --> 00:21:40 everyone
00:21:40 --> 00:21:41 sees.
00:21:42 --> 00:21:42 But one
00:21:42 --> 00:21:43 thing he
00:21:43 --> 00:21:44 says that
00:21:44 --> 00:21:44 I cannot
00:21:44 --> 00:21:45 overcome
00:21:45 --> 00:21:48 the sins
00:21:48 --> 00:21:48 that are
00:21:48 --> 00:21:49 deep down
00:21:49 --> 00:21:49 in my
00:21:49 --> 00:21:49 heart.
00:21:50 --> 00:21:51 I can't
00:21:51 --> 00:21:51 overcome
00:21:51 --> 00:21:52 those ones.
00:21:53 --> 00:21:53 I can't
00:21:53 --> 00:21:54 overcome
00:21:54 --> 00:21:54 them because
00:21:54 --> 00:21:55 I can't
00:21:55 --> 00:21:56 even see
00:21:56 --> 00:21:57 them.
00:22:02 --> 00:22:02 It's the
00:22:02 --> 00:22:04 sin that's
00:22:04 --> 00:22:05 below the
00:22:05 --> 00:22:05 sin.
00:22:06 --> 00:22:06 It's the
00:22:06 --> 00:22:08 driving force
00:22:08 --> 00:22:08 that gives
00:22:08 --> 00:22:09 rise to
00:22:09 --> 00:22:10 the obvious
00:22:10 --> 00:22:11 sins and
00:22:11 --> 00:22:11 the breaking
00:22:11 --> 00:22:11 of the
00:22:11 --> 00:22:12 law.
00:22:12 --> 00:22:13 The pride,
00:22:14 --> 00:22:14 the self
00:22:14 --> 00:22:15 justification,
00:22:16 --> 00:22:17 the defensiveness,
00:22:17 --> 00:22:18 the greed,
00:22:18 --> 00:22:18 the resentment,
00:22:19 --> 00:22:20 the unkindness,
00:22:21 --> 00:22:22 all the
00:22:22 --> 00:22:23 stuff that
00:22:23 --> 00:22:24 is ultimately
00:22:24 --> 00:22:24 the things
00:22:24 --> 00:22:25 that are
00:22:25 --> 00:22:25 keeping us
00:22:25 --> 00:22:26 awake and
00:22:26 --> 00:22:26 messing up
00:22:26 --> 00:22:27 our lives
00:22:27 --> 00:22:28 are the
00:22:28 --> 00:22:29 things that
00:22:29 --> 00:22:29 we cannot
00:22:29 --> 00:22:30 see.
00:22:32 --> 00:22:33 Ironically,
00:22:33 --> 00:22:33 the sin
00:22:33 --> 00:22:34 that most
00:22:34 --> 00:22:35 dominates
00:22:35 --> 00:22:35 us,
00:22:35 --> 00:22:35 the sin
00:22:35 --> 00:22:36 that most
00:22:36 --> 00:22:37 hurts us
00:22:37 --> 00:22:38 and hurts
00:22:38 --> 00:22:39 others are
00:22:39 --> 00:22:40 the ones
00:22:40 --> 00:22:41 that we
00:22:41 --> 00:22:42 cannot see
00:22:42 --> 00:22:43 and therefore
00:22:43 --> 00:22:45 we justify.
00:22:45 --> 00:22:47 to quote
00:22:47 --> 00:22:48 Derek
00:22:48 --> 00:22:48 Kidner
00:22:48 --> 00:22:49 on this
00:22:49 --> 00:22:50 verse,
00:22:50 --> 00:22:51 the fault
00:22:51 --> 00:22:52 may be
00:22:52 --> 00:22:52 hidden
00:22:52 --> 00:22:53 not because
00:22:53 --> 00:22:54 it is too
00:22:54 --> 00:22:55 small to
00:22:55 --> 00:22:56 see but
00:22:56 --> 00:22:57 because it
00:22:57 --> 00:22:57 is too
00:22:57 --> 00:22:58 characteristic
00:22:58 --> 00:22:59 to register.
00:23:01 --> 00:23:02 It is so
00:23:02 --> 00:23:03 much part of
00:23:03 --> 00:23:04 our life
00:23:04 --> 00:23:05 it has become
00:23:05 --> 00:23:06 acceptable to
00:23:06 --> 00:23:06 us.
00:23:06 --> 00:23:12 it has become
00:23:12 --> 00:23:12 respectable,
00:23:14 --> 00:23:14 justifiable.
00:23:18 --> 00:23:19 David goes
00:23:19 --> 00:23:19 on to say
00:23:19 --> 00:23:20 in verse
00:23:20 --> 00:23:20 14,
00:23:21 --> 00:23:22 may these
00:23:22 --> 00:23:22 words of
00:23:22 --> 00:23:23 my mouth
00:23:23 --> 00:23:24 and this
00:23:24 --> 00:23:24 meditation of
00:23:24 --> 00:23:25 my heart
00:23:25 --> 00:23:25 be pleasing
00:23:25 --> 00:23:26 in your
00:23:26 --> 00:23:26 sight,
00:23:27 --> 00:23:27 Lord,
00:23:28 --> 00:23:28 my rock
00:23:28 --> 00:23:29 and my
00:23:29 --> 00:23:29 redeemer.
00:23:29 --> 00:23:32 the word
00:23:32 --> 00:23:32 pleasing
00:23:32 --> 00:23:33 here
00:23:33 --> 00:23:34 is crucial.
00:23:36 --> 00:23:36 It's a
00:23:36 --> 00:23:37 word that's
00:23:37 --> 00:23:37 used
00:23:37 --> 00:23:39 in every
00:23:39 --> 00:23:40 instance in
00:23:40 --> 00:23:40 the Old
00:23:40 --> 00:23:41 Testament
00:23:41 --> 00:23:42 referring to
00:23:42 --> 00:23:43 the sacrificial
00:23:43 --> 00:23:44 system.
00:23:44 --> 00:23:45 The aroma
00:23:45 --> 00:23:46 was pleasing
00:23:46 --> 00:23:47 to God.
00:23:48 --> 00:23:48 The sacrifice
00:23:48 --> 00:23:49 was pleasing
00:23:49 --> 00:23:50 to God.
00:23:52 --> 00:23:53 And the
00:23:53 --> 00:23:54 sacrifice we
00:23:54 --> 00:23:55 know that
00:23:55 --> 00:23:55 was pleasing
00:23:55 --> 00:23:56 to God
00:23:56 --> 00:23:57 was an
00:23:57 --> 00:23:58 animal
00:23:58 --> 00:23:58 without
00:23:58 --> 00:23:59 blemish.
00:24:01 --> 00:24:02 And so
00:24:02 --> 00:24:03 David here
00:24:03 --> 00:24:04 appears to
00:24:04 --> 00:24:04 be,
00:24:04 --> 00:24:05 if you like,
00:24:06 --> 00:24:07 confidently
00:24:07 --> 00:24:08 contradicting
00:24:08 --> 00:24:08 himself.
00:24:10 --> 00:24:11 How can
00:24:11 --> 00:24:11 he say,
00:24:12 --> 00:24:13 may these
00:24:13 --> 00:24:13 words of
00:24:13 --> 00:24:14 my mouth
00:24:14 --> 00:24:14 and this
00:24:14 --> 00:24:15 meditation
00:24:15 --> 00:24:15 of my
00:24:15 --> 00:24:15 heart
00:24:15 --> 00:24:16 be pleasing
00:24:16 --> 00:24:18 without
00:24:18 --> 00:24:18 blemish,
00:24:18 --> 00:24:19 without
00:24:19 --> 00:24:19 fault,
00:24:19 --> 00:24:20 without
00:24:20 --> 00:24:20 failing,
00:24:21 --> 00:24:21 in your
00:24:21 --> 00:24:22 sight,
00:24:23 --> 00:24:24 when he
00:24:24 --> 00:24:24 can't even
00:24:24 --> 00:24:25 see them.
00:24:27 --> 00:24:28 And he
00:24:28 --> 00:24:28 can't
00:24:28 --> 00:24:28 overcome
00:24:28 --> 00:24:29 them.
00:24:30 --> 00:24:31 How can
00:24:31 --> 00:24:31 he say
00:24:31 --> 00:24:32 that?
00:24:36 --> 00:24:37 How can
00:24:37 --> 00:24:37 you say
00:24:37 --> 00:24:37 that?
00:24:39 --> 00:24:39 How can
00:24:39 --> 00:24:39 I say
00:24:39 --> 00:24:40 that?
00:24:42 --> 00:24:42 That the
00:24:42 --> 00:24:43 meditations
00:24:43 --> 00:24:43 of my
00:24:43 --> 00:24:44 heart are
00:24:44 --> 00:24:44 pleasing to
00:24:44 --> 00:24:45 God when
00:24:45 --> 00:24:46 I've got
00:24:46 --> 00:24:46 sin there
00:24:46 --> 00:24:46 that I
00:24:46 --> 00:24:47 can't
00:24:47 --> 00:24:47 even see?
00:24:47 --> 00:24:47 me?
00:24:52 --> 00:24:53 The only
00:24:53 --> 00:24:54 possible
00:24:54 --> 00:24:54 answer is
00:24:54 --> 00:24:55 the very
00:24:55 --> 00:24:56 last words
00:24:56 --> 00:24:56 of this
00:24:56 --> 00:24:57 psalm.
00:24:58 --> 00:24:58 Lord,
00:24:59 --> 00:25:00 my rock
00:25:00 --> 00:25:01 and my
00:25:01 --> 00:25:01 redeemer.
00:25:02 --> 00:25:03 The reason
00:25:03 --> 00:25:03 why David
00:25:03 --> 00:25:04 is so
00:25:04 --> 00:25:04 confident
00:25:04 --> 00:25:05 is because
00:25:05 --> 00:25:06 he knows
00:25:06 --> 00:25:06 that God
00:25:06 --> 00:25:07 is his
00:25:07 --> 00:25:07 redeemer.
00:25:10 --> 00:25:10 And what
00:25:10 --> 00:25:11 is, if you
00:25:11 --> 00:25:11 like, a
00:25:11 --> 00:25:11 general
00:25:11 --> 00:25:12 statement for
00:25:12 --> 00:25:13 David here
00:25:13 --> 00:25:14 is a much
00:25:14 --> 00:25:15 more specific
00:25:15 --> 00:25:16 statement for
00:25:16 --> 00:25:16 the Christian
00:25:16 --> 00:25:17 now.
00:25:18 --> 00:25:19 You see, the
00:25:19 --> 00:25:19 Bible tells us
00:25:19 --> 00:25:20 that King
00:25:20 --> 00:25:21 David was
00:25:21 --> 00:25:22 the forerunner,
00:25:22 --> 00:25:23 the shadow
00:25:23 --> 00:25:23 of a much
00:25:23 --> 00:25:24 greater king,
00:25:25 --> 00:25:25 one who
00:25:25 --> 00:25:27 delighted in
00:25:27 --> 00:25:28 the law of
00:25:28 --> 00:25:29 God completely,
00:25:29 --> 00:25:30 one who was
00:25:30 --> 00:25:31 completely pure
00:25:31 --> 00:25:32 of heart,
00:25:33 --> 00:25:34 sinless
00:25:34 --> 00:25:35 in perfection.
00:25:35 --> 00:25:38 the New
00:25:38 --> 00:25:38 Testament
00:25:38 --> 00:25:39 declares that
00:25:39 --> 00:25:40 Jesus himself,
00:25:40 --> 00:25:41 Jesus Christ,
00:25:41 --> 00:25:41 is the king
00:25:41 --> 00:25:42 of kings.
00:25:43 --> 00:25:44 He is the
00:25:44 --> 00:25:44 great King
00:25:44 --> 00:25:44 David.
00:25:46 --> 00:25:46 And notice
00:25:46 --> 00:25:47 that at
00:25:47 --> 00:25:48 every instance,
00:25:49 --> 00:25:49 Satan and
00:25:49 --> 00:25:50 others tried
00:25:50 --> 00:25:51 to divert
00:25:51 --> 00:25:52 him to
00:25:52 --> 00:25:53 move into
00:25:53 --> 00:25:53 sinfulness
00:25:53 --> 00:25:54 himself.
00:25:55 --> 00:25:56 Satan comes
00:25:56 --> 00:25:57 after him.
00:25:57 --> 00:25:58 And what is
00:25:58 --> 00:25:58 Jesus'
00:25:58 --> 00:25:59 response to
00:25:59 --> 00:25:59 Satan?
00:26:00 --> 00:26:01 I mean, he
00:26:01 --> 00:26:01 was already
00:26:01 --> 00:26:02 out in nature,
00:26:02 --> 00:26:02 he was out
00:26:02 --> 00:26:03 in the
00:26:03 --> 00:26:03 wilderness.
00:26:03 --> 00:26:05 What was
00:26:05 --> 00:26:05 his response
00:26:05 --> 00:26:06 to Satan?
00:26:07 --> 00:26:08 Have a look
00:26:08 --> 00:26:08 around at the
00:26:08 --> 00:26:09 moon and the
00:26:09 --> 00:26:09 stars to see
00:26:09 --> 00:26:10 the glory.
00:26:10 --> 00:26:10 No.
00:26:12 --> 00:26:13 It is
00:26:13 --> 00:26:13 written.
00:26:15 --> 00:26:16 It is
00:26:16 --> 00:26:16 written.
00:26:17 --> 00:26:18 It is
00:26:18 --> 00:26:18 written.
00:26:20 --> 00:26:21 When the
00:26:21 --> 00:26:23 religious elite
00:26:23 --> 00:26:23 came after
00:26:23 --> 00:26:25 him, it
00:26:25 --> 00:26:26 is written.
00:26:26 --> 00:26:27 It is
00:26:27 --> 00:26:27 written.
00:26:28 --> 00:26:28 It is
00:26:28 --> 00:26:29 written.
00:26:29 --> 00:26:30 In the
00:26:30 --> 00:26:30 Garden of
00:26:30 --> 00:26:31 Gethsemane,
00:26:31 --> 00:26:32 on the way
00:26:32 --> 00:26:33 to crucifixion,
00:26:33 --> 00:26:34 the cross
00:26:34 --> 00:26:36 itself, it
00:26:36 --> 00:26:37 is written.
00:26:38 --> 00:26:38 It is
00:26:38 --> 00:26:39 written.
00:26:39 --> 00:26:40 It is
00:26:40 --> 00:26:40 written.
00:26:41 --> 00:26:42 Scripture
00:26:42 --> 00:26:43 after
00:26:43 --> 00:26:43 scripture
00:26:43 --> 00:26:44 after
00:26:44 --> 00:26:44 scripture
00:26:44 --> 00:26:45 after
00:26:45 --> 00:26:45 scripture,
00:26:46 --> 00:26:47 in every
00:26:47 --> 00:26:48 part of
00:26:48 --> 00:26:48 his life,
00:26:49 --> 00:26:50 Jesus, you
00:26:50 --> 00:26:51 cut him and
00:26:51 --> 00:26:52 he bleeds
00:26:52 --> 00:26:52 scripture.
00:26:55 --> 00:26:57 In every
00:26:57 --> 00:26:57 instance of
00:26:57 --> 00:26:58 life,
00:26:58 --> 00:26:58 scripture was
00:26:58 --> 00:26:59 his response.
00:26:59 --> 00:27:02 Jesus
00:27:02 --> 00:27:03 delighted in
00:27:03 --> 00:27:03 scripture.
00:27:04 --> 00:27:04 He is the
00:27:04 --> 00:27:05 only one who
00:27:05 --> 00:27:06 completely
00:27:06 --> 00:27:07 delighted in
00:27:07 --> 00:27:07 scripture.
00:27:09 --> 00:27:09 He is the
00:27:09 --> 00:27:10 only one who
00:27:10 --> 00:27:11 ever kept
00:27:11 --> 00:27:12 every precept,
00:27:12 --> 00:27:13 every law,
00:27:14 --> 00:27:14 every command.
00:27:14 --> 00:27:20 and he dies
00:27:20 --> 00:27:20 on the cross
00:27:20 --> 00:27:21 as our
00:27:21 --> 00:27:22 substitute
00:27:22 --> 00:27:26 for our
00:27:26 --> 00:27:27 disobedience,
00:27:28 --> 00:27:28 our
00:27:28 --> 00:27:29 breaking
00:27:29 --> 00:27:32 of every
00:27:32 --> 00:27:32 command.
00:27:34 --> 00:27:35 And by
00:27:35 --> 00:27:35 his death,
00:27:35 --> 00:27:35 he has
00:27:35 --> 00:27:36 redeemed us.
00:27:38 --> 00:27:38 He's paid
00:27:38 --> 00:27:39 the price.
00:27:39 --> 00:27:39 He's brought
00:27:39 --> 00:27:40 us back into
00:27:40 --> 00:27:40 God.
00:27:40 --> 00:27:40 God.
00:27:42 --> 00:27:42 And so
00:27:42 --> 00:27:43 when we
00:27:43 --> 00:27:43 see our
00:27:43 --> 00:27:44 failure,
00:27:45 --> 00:27:47 we come
00:27:47 --> 00:27:47 to him,
00:27:47 --> 00:27:48 we trust
00:27:48 --> 00:27:48 in him,
00:27:48 --> 00:27:49 and his
00:27:49 --> 00:27:50 great reward
00:27:50 --> 00:27:50 becomes
00:27:50 --> 00:27:51 ours.
00:27:53 --> 00:27:54 His
00:27:54 --> 00:27:54 fulfillment
00:27:54 --> 00:27:55 of all
00:27:55 --> 00:27:56 the law
00:27:56 --> 00:27:56 becomes
00:27:56 --> 00:27:57 ours.
00:27:58 --> 00:27:59 It's the
00:27:59 --> 00:28:00 great exchange,
00:28:00 --> 00:28:00 the punishment
00:28:00 --> 00:28:01 for our
00:28:01 --> 00:28:02 imperfect
00:28:02 --> 00:28:02 law keeping
00:28:02 --> 00:28:03 has gone
00:28:03 --> 00:28:04 across to
00:28:04 --> 00:28:04 him and
00:28:04 --> 00:28:05 the reward
00:28:05 --> 00:28:05 for his
00:28:05 --> 00:28:06 perfect record
00:28:06 --> 00:28:07 transfers to
00:28:07 --> 00:28:07 us.
00:28:08 --> 00:28:10 This is
00:28:10 --> 00:28:10 the gospel.
00:28:10 --> 00:28:11 this is
00:28:11 --> 00:28:11 the good
00:28:11 --> 00:28:12 news of
00:28:12 --> 00:28:13 Christianity
00:28:13 --> 00:28:14 and it's
00:28:14 --> 00:28:15 only this
00:28:15 --> 00:28:16 that ultimately
00:28:16 --> 00:28:17 rewires the
00:28:17 --> 00:28:17 heart.
00:28:18 --> 00:28:19 It's only
00:28:19 --> 00:28:20 this that
00:28:20 --> 00:28:21 gives us a
00:28:21 --> 00:28:22 firm and
00:28:22 --> 00:28:22 confident
00:28:22 --> 00:28:23 identity
00:28:23 --> 00:28:25 regardless of
00:28:25 --> 00:28:25 the reality
00:28:25 --> 00:28:26 of our
00:28:26 --> 00:28:26 ongoing
00:28:26 --> 00:28:28 imperfections
00:28:28 --> 00:28:29 and failures
00:28:29 --> 00:28:29 and sin.
00:28:30 --> 00:28:31 Nature,
00:28:32 --> 00:28:33 the created
00:28:33 --> 00:28:34 order in
00:28:34 --> 00:28:35 itself can
00:28:35 --> 00:28:36 never rewire
00:28:36 --> 00:28:36 the heart
00:28:36 --> 00:28:37 like that.
00:28:37 --> 00:28:39 God's
00:28:39 --> 00:28:40 solution
00:28:40 --> 00:28:41 The Bible
00:28:41 --> 00:28:42 is absolutely
00:28:42 --> 00:28:43 necessary for
00:28:43 --> 00:28:44 us to see
00:28:44 --> 00:28:45 our true
00:28:45 --> 00:28:45 predicament,
00:28:46 --> 00:28:46 God's
00:28:46 --> 00:28:48 solution and
00:28:48 --> 00:28:49 therefore the
00:28:49 --> 00:28:50 rewiring of
00:28:50 --> 00:28:51 our hearts
00:28:51 --> 00:28:52 in such a
00:28:52 --> 00:28:53 way that
00:28:53 --> 00:28:55 God's word
00:28:55 --> 00:28:56 becomes
00:28:56 --> 00:28:56 glorious,
00:28:58 --> 00:29:01 majestic,
00:29:01 --> 00:29:03 sweet,
00:29:05 --> 00:29:05 delightful,
00:29:07 --> 00:29:07 joyful.
00:29:10 --> 00:29:11 You see,
00:29:11 --> 00:29:11 the moralistic
00:29:11 --> 00:29:12 religious person
00:29:12 --> 00:29:13 seeks to
00:29:13 --> 00:29:13 obey the
00:29:13 --> 00:29:14 word of
00:29:14 --> 00:29:14 God out
00:29:14 --> 00:29:14 of fear.
00:29:16 --> 00:29:16 The
00:29:16 --> 00:29:17 relativistic
00:29:17 --> 00:29:18 person is
00:29:18 --> 00:29:19 indifferent to
00:29:19 --> 00:29:19 the word of
00:29:19 --> 00:29:19 God.
00:29:20 --> 00:29:21 The
00:29:21 --> 00:29:21 Christian
00:29:21 --> 00:29:22 delights
00:29:22 --> 00:29:23 in God's
00:29:23 --> 00:29:24 word
00:29:24 --> 00:29:24 word
00:29:24 --> 00:29:25 because
00:29:25 --> 00:29:25 Jesus,
00:29:26 --> 00:29:27 the one
00:29:27 --> 00:29:27 who delights
00:29:27 --> 00:29:28 in the
00:29:28 --> 00:29:28 word,
00:29:28 --> 00:29:29 became a
00:29:29 --> 00:29:29 curse
00:29:29 --> 00:29:30 for you
00:29:30 --> 00:29:31 and for
00:29:31 --> 00:29:31 me.
00:29:32 --> 00:29:33 He is
00:29:33 --> 00:29:33 our
00:29:33 --> 00:29:34 redeemer
00:29:34 --> 00:29:35 and because
00:29:35 --> 00:29:35 he is our
00:29:35 --> 00:29:36 redeemer,
00:29:36 --> 00:29:36 he is our
00:29:36 --> 00:29:37 rock,
00:29:38 --> 00:29:39 he is our
00:29:39 --> 00:29:40 refuge,
00:29:40 --> 00:29:40 he is our
00:29:40 --> 00:29:41 safe place
00:29:41 --> 00:29:42 and the
00:29:42 --> 00:29:43 Bible is
00:29:43 --> 00:29:44 absolutely
00:29:44 --> 00:29:45 necessary for
00:29:45 --> 00:29:46 refreshing the
00:29:46 --> 00:29:46 soul,
00:29:46 --> 00:29:47 for making
00:29:47 --> 00:29:48 wise the
00:29:48 --> 00:29:48 simple,
00:29:49 --> 00:29:50 for delighting
00:29:50 --> 00:29:50 the heart
00:29:50 --> 00:29:53 because when
00:29:53 --> 00:29:53 the Christian
00:29:53 --> 00:29:54 through the
00:29:54 --> 00:29:55 work of the
00:29:55 --> 00:29:56 spirit looks
00:29:56 --> 00:29:56 into the
00:29:56 --> 00:29:56 Bible,
00:29:57 --> 00:29:57 they see
00:29:57 --> 00:29:58 beauty,
00:29:59 --> 00:29:59 they see
00:29:59 --> 00:30:00 majesty,
00:30:00 --> 00:30:01 they see
00:30:01 --> 00:30:01 glory.
00:30:02 --> 00:30:02 The Bible
00:30:02 --> 00:30:03 becomes the
00:30:03 --> 00:30:04 window through
00:30:04 --> 00:30:05 which we see
00:30:05 --> 00:30:06 the beauty
00:30:06 --> 00:30:07 and the
00:30:07 --> 00:30:08 majesty and
00:30:08 --> 00:30:08 the glory
00:30:08 --> 00:30:10 of everything
00:30:10 --> 00:30:11 else.
00:30:14 --> 00:30:15 That's why I
00:30:15 --> 00:30:16 appreciate a
00:30:16 --> 00:30:17 David Attenborough
00:30:17 --> 00:30:19 and some of
00:30:19 --> 00:30:19 the insights
00:30:19 --> 00:30:20 he has and
00:30:20 --> 00:30:20 the little
00:30:20 --> 00:30:22 crews that
00:30:22 --> 00:30:22 he has of
00:30:22 --> 00:30:23 filming the
00:30:23 --> 00:30:23 intricate
00:30:23 --> 00:30:24 details.
00:30:26 --> 00:30:27 And yet I've
00:30:27 --> 00:30:27 got something
00:30:27 --> 00:30:28 more than
00:30:28 --> 00:30:28 him.
00:30:29 --> 00:30:30 I see
00:30:30 --> 00:30:31 glory when
00:30:31 --> 00:30:31 he doesn't
00:30:31 --> 00:30:32 see glory.
00:30:37 --> 00:30:38 The Bible
00:30:38 --> 00:30:39 becomes the
00:30:39 --> 00:30:39 window through
00:30:39 --> 00:30:40 which we see
00:30:40 --> 00:30:40 beauty and
00:30:40 --> 00:30:41 majesty and
00:30:41 --> 00:30:42 glory in
00:30:42 --> 00:30:43 God who
00:30:43 --> 00:30:43 redeems,
00:30:44 --> 00:30:44 the God who
00:30:44 --> 00:30:45 creates and
00:30:45 --> 00:30:46 recreates.
00:30:46 --> 00:30:47 glory.
00:30:47 --> 00:30:50 All of us
00:30:50 --> 00:30:51 crave glory.
00:30:52 --> 00:30:53 We're designed
00:30:53 --> 00:30:54 to crave glory.
00:30:55 --> 00:30:56 We are
00:30:56 --> 00:30:57 designed by
00:30:57 --> 00:30:58 God to
00:30:58 --> 00:30:59 marvel at
00:30:59 --> 00:30:59 majesty,
00:31:00 --> 00:31:01 to have the
00:31:01 --> 00:31:02 wow factor.
00:31:02 --> 00:31:03 glory.
00:31:03 --> 00:31:06 And every
00:31:06 --> 00:31:06 one of us at
00:31:06 --> 00:31:07 some point in
00:31:07 --> 00:31:08 life need to
00:31:08 --> 00:31:09 go beside
00:31:09 --> 00:31:10 us, you
00:31:10 --> 00:31:11 know, the
00:31:11 --> 00:31:12 sea or
00:31:12 --> 00:31:12 stare at the
00:31:12 --> 00:31:13 ocean or to
00:31:13 --> 00:31:14 look at the
00:31:14 --> 00:31:15 galaxies or
00:31:15 --> 00:31:15 whatever it
00:31:15 --> 00:31:16 might be to
00:31:16 --> 00:31:16 get that
00:31:16 --> 00:31:17 awe factor,
00:31:17 --> 00:31:18 if you like,
00:31:18 --> 00:31:19 to make us
00:31:19 --> 00:31:19 feel hopeful,
00:31:20 --> 00:31:21 to make us,
00:31:21 --> 00:31:22 give us
00:31:22 --> 00:31:23 perspective on
00:31:23 --> 00:31:23 life.
00:31:24 --> 00:31:25 And yet the
00:31:25 --> 00:31:27 necessary source
00:31:27 --> 00:31:28 of the greatest,
00:31:28 --> 00:31:29 greatest glimpses
00:31:29 --> 00:31:30 of glory we
00:31:30 --> 00:31:33 have is
00:31:33 --> 00:31:33 sitting on our
00:31:33 --> 00:31:34 bookshelves.