More Precious Than Gold; Sweeter Than Honey

2016-12-31-2017-1-1- MorePreciousthanGold 1 More Precious than Gold; Sweeter than Honey Psalm 19:7-10 INTRODUCTION This past week was a milestone in the lives in many of our congregation – the first time you completed reading through the entire Bible. Congratulations! Last December as we promoted Challenge365 many of you were excited because you always intended to read through the Bible but never had. The 365 refers to spending time reading God’s word each day – but that was not the Challenge – reading through the Bible was merely a MEANS – the END (the challenge or goal) was to LOVE JESUS MORE. And the only way you can love Him more is to get to know Him better – and the only way you can get to know Him better is to read His word to find out what He did, who He was, and what He said. As Paul told Timothy: “The GOAL of our instruction is LOVE (i.e. love for God and others) from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.” (1 Tim 1:5 NASB) Many of you have shared comments in our quarterly surveys about how this time in Scripture has resulted in some incredible spiritual growth for you this year. Listen to a few:  This has been a wonderful experience. I am changed! I thought I was close to Him but I’ve really grown this year by spending time with Him and His word.  I find God’s Word reshaping my thinking. The more I read and know God’s word, the better I know Him.  I am more inclined to go to Scripture for guidance in my daily life.  I find myself seeking Him more throughout my day.  This is the most fantastic thing that I have ever done. It has helped me so much.  I am more peaceful and rely on Him more than ever before.  This has definitely been a blessing. I feel a lot closer to Jesus than previously. I am able to talk to Him more easily than I was able to in the past.  I don’t believe in coincidences, so when I am reading the daily reading and it applies to my life directly, it is not a coincidence, it was meant for me. This happens a couple of times a week – and I love it.  God’s promises are on my mind all the time.  I start my day with Him now, and many times what I read stays with me throughout the day.  I have a closer relationship to Jesus and am more conscious of the Spirit working in me and guiding me.  I am amazed about the Bible itself - I didn’t realize how much I missed by not reading it. God’s word is never an end in itself any more than our food is an end in itself. Now, I know that some folks live to eat, but the reason that Highlands Ranch was recently named the #1 healthiest place in America with the lowest adult obesity rate in the nation is because we eat to live – which is God’s design. And that is God’s design for the Bible. Jesus said, “People do not live by bread alone, but by 2016-12-31-2017-1-1- MorePreciousthanGold 2 every word that comes from the mouth of God.” (Mt 4:4 NLT) The Psalmist sang to God, “How sweet are Your Words to my taste! Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth.” “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Ps 119:103, 105 NASB) Today we want to celebrate the opportunity we’ve had to read through His word this year but also to introduce our plan for 2017. So many have asked us to do something similar in this New Year but many ALSO indicated that one of the major problems of reading through the entire Bible in a year was not enough time – so here is our plan for 2017. Our theme will be MOVE. We will focus on MOVING closer to Jesus; MOVING into our Community; and MOVING to Impact the world - showing the love of Christ and sharing the Good News of what Jesus has done for us and means to us. Starting next week, we will be focusing on the life and teachings of Jesus. The first 24 weeks we’ll look at all Jesus BEGAN to do and teach in the four Gospels. Then, the last 28 weeks of the year we will focus on ALL that Jesus CONTINUED to do and teach AFTER His Resurrection through His body, the Church. During that time we will be reading through the book of Acts and the remainder of the New Testament letters. Rather than being 6 or 7 chapters a day, this will be ONE CHAPTER each day. Much more on that next week. Since this is a special day let’s look at an amazing celebration of Scripture in the Psalms. Open your Bible or You Version to Psalm 19:7-10. David speaks of the value and importance of Scripture – what it is and what it does -- and he writes in beautiful, poetic style, using six couplets as he discusses the NAMES, the NATURE, and the EFFECT of God’s Word on our lives. David was thrilled with God’s revelation of Himself and His love in the Scriptures – for three reasons: First … I. IT CHALLENGES US. Look at the first part of verse 7 – “The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul.” (Ps 19:7 ESV) Note first, the NAME for Scripture – “The law of the Lord.” This was the widest and most frequent Old Testament word for Scripture. It tells us that the Bible came from God – it is HIS Word – not merely the advice of men, and it speaks with His authority. And, even though we no longer live under a system of Law as they did in the Old Testament, God’s word still speaks with His authority. Then, notice the NATURE of Scripture – “it is perfect.” Because it comes from God, it is complete – there is nothing left out that we need to know. It is comprehensive – it does everything we need it to do. There is no part of your life, no problem you will ever face, no question with which you will ever be troubled – that the Word of God does not speak to and illuminate and meet! It never needs amending – four times God tells us that is a crime to add to it, treason to alter it, and a felony to take away from it. (Deut 4:2; 12:32; Prov 30:6; Rev 22:18-19) It is perfect, containing “Everything we need for life and godliness.” (2 Pet 1:3 GWT) 2016-12-31-2017-1-1- MorePreciousthanGold 3 And, note its EFFECT: “Reviving the soul.” It revives – that is, it brings people back to God and His will. Like sheep, each of us stray – through the influence of false teaching, through the influence of the worldly philosophy of our culture – we tend to drift away from God’s truth. But the Word brings us back to God – to see things from His perspective, to recognize the false and seductive philosophy of our “me first” culture. It revives “the soul.” God’s word touches our inner life – it “pierces” deep “and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Heb 4:16) It becomes IN US “a well of water, springing up to eternal life”– constantly reviving, refreshing, and restoring us from the inside out. (Jn 4:14) Further, note the second part of verse 7: “The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple.” (Ps 19:7 NIV) First, the NAME – Scripture is called here: “the statutes of the Lord” – that which God has declared and laid down in unmistakable terms. What is the NATURE of these statutes? They are “trustworthy.” The Bible is both dependable and reliable. Joshua sums it up – “You KNOW in all your hearts and in all your souls that not ONE word of ALL the good words which the Lord your God spoke concerning you have failed; ALL have been fulfilled for you, not ONE of them has failed.” (Josh 23:14 NASB) We can count on God’s word. In an unsure world, GOD provides us with a fixed point of reference. In the quicksand of our problems, God provides us a rock on which to stand. The world’s standards for success and status seem to change almost overnight, but God’s word provides us a trustworthy and changeless anchor for our souls. If you’re whitewater rafting in a class 5+ area we often station guys along the banks with throw bags filled with rope. If your boat flips you need something to hold onto to get to shore. That’s exactly what God gives us in Scripture – something you can hold onto – even as Solomon reminds us, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.” (Prov 3:5 NASB) Notice the EFFECT of relying on the Bible – “It makes wise the simple.” The “wisdom that comes from above” (Jas 3:17) can’t be found in college textbooks and a long string of degrees. A person can know MANY things, but if they do not know GOD – and God’s will for their life – they are a spiritual simpleton! And a person can know nothing – from a worldly point of view – but if they know God – they have a greater wisdom than the philosophers of our age. There’s an old story about a court jester, whom the King frequently mocked and derided for his lack of education. One day the King gave him his scepter, saying, “If you ever find a man more stupid than yourself, give him this scepter.” Years passed, but the jester never found anyone to whom he could give the scepter. The king was struck with an incurable illness, and – on his deathbed – called for the jester to cheer him up. The jester tried – but nothing worked. 2016-12-31-2017-1-1- MorePreciousthanGold 4 “Why is the King so sad?” he asked. The King said that he was going on a journey – a final journey from which he would never return – and he wasn’t prepared for it.” The jester asked – “ Did you know you’d be going on this journey?” “Yes,” the King said. “But you made no preparation for it – you’re not ready?” “No” “Then YOU take the scepter, for I’ve finally met someone more stupid than myself.” The word of God makes wise the simple, for it prepares us for ALL of life’s journey – and, especially, for the END. Next, David says … II. GOD ’ S WORD CHEERS US. Check out the first part of verse 8: “The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart.” (Ps 19:8 NIV) The NAME for Scripture here is “precepts” – indicating the precision by which God addresses us; God’s word provides specific precepts for the child of God. And what is the NATURE of these precepts? they are “right.” In an age where there are many shades of grey, it’s good to have a divine standard of right and wrong. The wise Solomon said, “There is a way which SEEMS right to a man, but its END is the way of death.” (Prov 14:12 NASB) In fact, there are many things that SEEM right – but this book tells us what IS right. The glorious thing about the Bible is that, when the story is all told – when ALL is said and done, it will end up just as it is written here. This book is right – it tells us the way it is. And what EFFECT does that have on us? “It gives joy to the heart.” What can be more joyful than this: to know that we are living within the Creator’s plan for us; to know that our life is right with Him and bringing Him glory? And then the second half of verse 8 says, “The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes.” (Ps 19:8 NIV) Again, he NAMES the word. This time it is “the commands of the Lord.” WHO issues commands: Only someone in authority, so this name shows us the authority of the Scripture. God alone has the right to command our obedience – and we find those commands in His Word. The Cancer Society was soliciting door-to-door for funds in a rural community. A young lady rang the bell at one house and a man answered. She appealed for funds, and he told her to come in. Then he took a grocery sack, tore off a corner and wrote: “Pay to the American Cancer Society $5,000” – then signed his name. She thought he was pranking her – but she thanked him and left. When she later returned to headquarters she mentioned it to her supervisor, and showed her the “check.” It 2016-12-31-2017-1-1- MorePreciousthanGold 5 turned out that Mr. Peterson was an eccentric millionaire, with money in EVERY bank in the county – ALL of whom would honor the “check!” It wasn’t the value of the paper that made the check GOOD – it was the authority of the man behind it. So it is with the Scriptures. Behind every word, every promise, is the guarantee of God’s own character and vast wealth. Every word is true. That leads us to the NATURE of His word – it is “radiant” – like the sun’s glory the BIBLE shines forth with the brilliance of God’s truth. And its shining has its EFFECT – “ Giving light to the eyes.” In Scripture, light and darkness are often contrasted. Darkness symbolizes sin, fear, ignorance and uncertainty. Ever been in a strange house as a guest – and you wake up during the night needing to find the bathroom? You don’t want to turn on the light and disturb others – but by the time you grope through the dark and find the bathroom, you have three broken toes and a cracked knee-cap! How many live their lives in darkness? But the Bible provides light to illumine our way and guide us to our destination. It enlightens our mind with truth and understanding. Imagine having to face death and eternity – without God’s word. There’d be no certainty, no idea of what’s ahead – just fear and dread. But God has not left us to face death – or life – alone. He, who holds the future in the palm of His hands, has given us His Word to guide us today – and to promise us glory tomorrow. God’s Word is precious – it challenges us, it cheers us – and third … III. GOD ’ S WORD CHANGES US. That’s the message of verses 9-10. As the Psalmist writes about the way the Word of God changes us, he also changes his poetic structure a bit. In verse 9 he no longer mentions the EFFECT of the Word in the couplets – instead he makes two statements about the NATURE of Scripture and then combines the effect of the Word in verses 10-13. Look at the first part of verse 9: “The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever.” (Ps 19:9 NIV) Now this is a rather unusual NAME for Scripture: “The fear of the Lord.” The Psalmist is actually speaking of the human response prompted by God’s revelation. The word “fear” is sometimes read as though it meant “cowering in terror” before some awful being who is about to strike you dead. But that is NOT what this means at all. It means “respect” – honest respect – for God. The great end of all revelation – both in nature and in Scripture – is to inspire a humble, reverent, awe-filled worship of God. The NATURE of the word here is two-fold. First – “it is pure” – an honest respect for God is pure and it will keep YOU pure, too. Elsewhere, the Psalmist asks: “How can one keep his way pure?” His answer? “By keeping it according to Your word.” (Ps 119:9 NASB) Jesus said: “You are clean because of the words I have 2016-12-31-2017-1-1- MorePreciousthanGold 6 spoken to you.” (Jn 15:3 NASB) The word cleanses us, because it is itself pure. No mixture of error defiles it; No stain of sin pollutes it; It is the unadulterated milk of life. Secondly – It endures forever. It is permanent and eternal, just as the God who gave it. Peter quotes Isaiah on this: “All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flower of the grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls off, but the word of the Lord abides forever. And this is the word which was preached to you.” (1 Pet 1:24-25 NASB) In our homes, newspapers get thrown away or used to catch oil or paint droppings. At any rate, the daily news does not endure – nor does it heal or revive. In fact, the daily news is often downright depressing. But this word ABIDES FOREVER – always relevant, always helpful, always uplifting. We can stake our life on it – and, when we do – we, too, can have the assurance of living forever. The second half of verse 9 tells us one more thing about the Bible: “The ordinances of the Lord are reliable, and altogether righteous.” (Ps 19:9 HCSB) The NAME “ordinances” refers to God’s specific plan and will for His people – that which He has ordained for our lives. Again, the NATURE of these ordinances is twofold. First: they are “reliable.” This reiterates verse 7, where David says they are “trustworthy.” We can count on the Word of God – even (and especially) when all else fails. Some years ago I read about a speedboat driver who had survived a racing accident. He had been at near top speed when his boat veered slightly and hit a wave at a dangerous angle. The combined force of his speed and the size and angle of the wave sent the boat spinning crazily into the air. He was thrown out and propelled deeply into the water – so deep, in fact, that he had no idea which direction the surface was. He had to remain calm and wait for the buoyancy of his life vest to begin pulling him up. Once he realized which way was up, he could swim for the surface. (#236) Sometimes we find ourselves surrounded by confusing options, too deeply immersed in our problems to know “ which way is up.” When this happens, we too can remain calm, waiting for God’s gentle tug to pull us in the proper direction. God has provided His word to be our life vest in ALL the situations of life. When we’re in over our heads, God’s word provides the sure way out. Then, David says, they are “altogether righteous.” Each and every word of Scripture reveals the righteousness of God. And, their EFFECT is in verse 10. As David contemplated the perfection, the reliability, the righteousness, holiness, and purity of God’s word; when he thought about what leaning on God’s promises 2016-12-31-2017-1-1- MorePreciousthanGold 7 had done for him – he breaks forth in exultant praise for God’s written revelation. “They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb.” (Ps 19:10 NIV) Note the progression here – God’s words are more precious than gold – more than pure gold – more than much pure gold. And David should know – for he was one of the wealthiest men who ever lived; yet he valued God’s word over man’s wealth. The ancient people prized highly BOTH gold and honey – so here we see the value and prominence the Scriptures should have. What prominence and value does God’s word have in OUR lives? Jenny Lind was a great singer – earning mega bucks for concerts in her day. But she gave it all up, to sing Christian music for mere pennies. Her decision surprised many, and a reporter once interviewed her and asked the question on everyone’s mind: “Why? Why did you give up your popular and lucrative career?” Jenny Lind pointed to a magazine cover where she was surrounded by thousands of fans and said – “I found that my desire for all this was spoiling my appetite for THIS” – and she held up her Bible. There was a young lady who knew her priorities! Another Psalmist said it this way: “O how I love Your law! I meditate on it all day long!” (Ps 119:97 NLT) Jeremiah had the same viewpoint: “Your words were found and I ate them, and Your words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart.” (Jer 15:16 NASB) What we love, what we desire, what we delight in – we spend time with. When a young man loves and delights in a young lady, he doesn’t go out of his way to avoid her. Quite the opposite, he longs to spend as much time as possible with her. How much do WE value this book from God? A news story told of a valuable Chinese vase that sold at auction for $419,000. The seller had inherited it from her aunt, who had lived in China in the early 1900’s. And guess how her aunt had used this priceless vase? As a pot for plants on her front steps! The idea of a vase worth nearly half a million dollars sitting outside in the weather – used so casually and with such ignorance of its value – was so startling that the A.P. printed the story. But something that is even more amazing is that of a treasure so valuable as God’s Word being neglected, ignored, unappreciated, and unread. This book contains the very words of the One who set these worlds in order – the Creator and Sustainer of all that we see around us has spoken to US … and we are more interested in video games, e-mail, and T.V.! Is the Word of God more precious to you than gold? Do you find it sweeter than honey? If it’s not maybe it’s because you only see it as another book. Notice that when David talks about various aspects of revelation in these verses, he always uses the phrase, “of the Lord”: the law “of the Lord,” the testimony “of the Lord,” the precepts “of the Lord,” the commandment “of the Lord” – all the way through. (Steadman p.50) It’s not the Bible itself that we worship. It is simply a channel by which we find the Lord. It is GOD who does all 2016-12-31-2017-1-1- MorePreciousthanGold 8 these wonderful things for us. HE forgives and revives and cleanses and enlightens and makes us rejoice. It is as we find HIM in the pages of Scripture that these wonderful things happen to us. God’s Word was not merely given for our information, but for our transformation. Paul tells us the purpose for the word in his letter to Timothy: “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.17 God uses it to prepare and equip His people to do every good work.” (2 Tim 3:16-17 NLT) Truly, God’s word is precious – because it leads us to HIM – and builds us up to be like Him, providing us adequately and amply with ALL we need. Will you allow God – through His written word – to challenge you, to cheer you, to change you? The Next Step on the bottom of your Connection Card is to sign up to join us as we focus on the Life and Teachings of Jesus in 2017 and read through the New Testament together. 2016-12-31-2017-1-1- MorePreciousthanGold 9

More Precious than Gold; Sweeter than Honey Psalm 19:7-10 INTRODUCTION 1 Tim 1:5; Mat 4:4; Ps 119:103, 105 “The GOAL of our instruction is LOVE from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.” (1 Tim 1:5 NASB)

I. God’s Word Challenges Us Ps 19:7 “The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul.” (Ps 19:7a ESV) Deut 4:2; 12:32; Prov 30:6; Rev 22:18-19; 2 Pet 1:3; Heb 4:16; Jn 4:14

“The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple.” (Ps 19:7b NIV) Josh 23:14; Prov 3:5; Jas 3:17

II. God’s Word Cheers Us Ps 19:8 “The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart.” (Ps 19:8a NIV) Prov 14:12

“The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes.” (Ps 19:8b NIV)

III. God’s Word Changes Us Ps 19:9-10 “The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever.” (Ps 19:9a NIV) Ps 119:9; Jn 15:3; 1 Pet 1:24-25

“The ordinances of the Lord are reliable, and altogether righteous.” (Ps 19:9b HCSB) Ps 19:7

“They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb.” (Ps 19:10 NIV) Ps 119:97; Jer 15:16; 2 Tim 3:16-17 2016-12-31-2017-1-1- MorePreciousthanGold 10