Sermon in Seattle 09.09.2012

In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen. We will continue our services this festive day. We are given that opportunity to have both morning and afternoon services. And we will continue these services by reading again from the book of Psalms, but this time from the 119th Psalm, verses 9 through 17. With that prayer that God would yet open His Word unto us, to feed us, to teach us. And I read these words in Jesus' name.

Verse 10. Teach me Thy statutes. With my lips have I declared all the judgments of Thy mouth. I have rejoiced in the way of Thy testimonies, as much as in all riches. I will meditate in Thy precepts, and have respect unto Thy ways. I will delight myself in Thy statutes. I will not forget Thy Word. Deal bountifully with Thy servant, that I may live and keep Thy Word. Amen.

Amen. If you were at Bible class this week, you would recognize this text. We studied from this text at Bible class. So I thought that I would take this for mutual study here this afternoon also. This 119th Psalm is, as we learned and you may know, I believe the longest psalm for sure, and maybe the longest chapter in the Bible. It is 176 verses long. And this psalm speaks to us in many places. For the entire psalm speaks to us about God's Word. And so the portion that we read also speaks to us about God's Word.

And I think if these words aren't familiar to you, that you would recognize the 105th verse, where it says, Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. Those are familiar words that are often written in a Bible which is given, maybe to a conferment after confirmation, or maybe to a couple by the congregation, after they have stood in front of the congregation, and in front of God, and pledged their love, and their promise to be faithful one to another. So those words are familiar to us.

And as it was also pointed out, that this book has many sections, and they are all titled with a different letter. I believe it was from the Greek alphabet. And so it is a uniquely structured psalm. But when we think of what this psalm teaches us, it teaches us about God's Word. And where is it that we find God's Word? We could say that we find God's Word written here in the pages of the Bible. But what is it that's different about God's congregation, about this congregation that God has, through His grace, made us to be members? What is it that is most important?

There are many in this world that can take this Bible and study the words and read the verses of the Bible. But the Word of God is opened unto us by the Holy Spirit. It is alone in God's congregation where the Spirit makes the words alive. And that is the defining characteristic of God's congregation where the words are spoken often in weakness, but they are spoken through the power of the Holy Spirit.

And it is not only here at services that God's Word has spoken, but parents at home teach their children God's Word when they gather in the evening for prayers and to bless their children. When the children gather at Sunday school, when we come to Bible class, the words of God are studied and spoken. And it is always our prayer that God would open His Word unto us and make His Word alive through the Spirit.

That the servants of the Word, the ministers and the Bible class teachers and Sunday school teachers each had this humble prayer that they could teach and serve with those gifts that God has given them, but that the Word would be taught by the power of the Holy Spirit. And God has promised that where two or three are gathered in His name that He will be with us and that He will open His Word unto us and teach us from His Word as He sees fit.

He told His disciples there in that 14th chapter, I believe it is of John or maybe I have that wrong. It is where He says in this way when He was leaving His disciples. He had been with them teaching them there for a few years, but He knew that this time was coming where He would be captured and killed and would then rise from the grave and ascend into heaven and no longer be with His own there.

And so He taught His disciples, and His words are for you and me also dear brother and sister, where He says in this way, and I will pray the Father and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever, even the Spirit of truth. Isn't it this way dear brother and sister that in God's congregation religion that Spirit of Truth still teaches, still comforts, still lives and dwells among His own?

And this we know and we are thankful for that this Spirit is here amongst us and it continues to teach us and to guide us. And isn't it so important dear brother and sister that we listen to that teaching of the Holy Spirit, to that teaching of the congregation where the Spirit lives and dwells?

And I remember a dear brother in one of his sermons taught in this way that there may be those matters in God's kingdom that we do not understand. There may be those teachings, those matters that through the Spirit the congregation teaches. God's kingdom teaches. And if there is a matter that we do not understand, that it would be good that we listen to the Spirit and to ponder that in our heart and to obey that message.

And that brother had this picture that if we do not understand the matter we may say that we do not see that matter. And it was his example that if we were walking and that we could no longer see where we were going, wouldn't we naturally stop? We wouldn't continue stumbling along on our own because we would get hurt and get in trouble. But that we would stop and listen. And that we would listen. And that we would hear what was going on around us.

And so in this way he gave this clear example that if we do not see or understand the matter in God's kingdom that we would not of our own understanding go stumbling forward but that we would stop and that we would listen and obey the voice of the congregation.

And so back to this text which speaks to us about God's word. It says in this way that wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? And then it answers this question by taking heed thereto according to thy word. It tells us here to take heed therefore, to listen to what is taught, and to listen to what God's word teaches.

With my whole heart have I sought thee. O let me not wander from thy commandments. Obedience. It is this psalm writer's prayer that he would not wander away on his own from God's word, but that he with his whole heart he could believe. And isn't this a close matter to each and every one of us that there are those matters in our life that we tend to make more important than our faith.

But it is important that we remember to look on those things which are heavenly, which are spiritual, and not on those things of this world that will one day perish, but to look forward to that goal in heaven, and to crucify the flesh, as it says in another place in the Bible, and to heed God's word, that we would not wander away.

Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. There are those portions of God's word that are close to each and every one of us. And we some had their own personal psalms there at Bible class when we were studying, where they had their own portions of scripture even, of God's word, that helped them in this battle.

We know that each and every one of us have our own temptations, have our unique battles. Someone's temptation may not be the same as yours, others. And I remember as a young man, and I would pass on to the other young men that are here in attendance, that I was told by an older brother in faith, that every young man should read the Proverbs, especially the beginning chapters of Proverbs.

And in there, there is much wisdom, there is much instruction, there is much teaching from God's word. It is especially helpful in a young man's battle of faith. But there are also other portions in the Bible that I'm sure that you may even have memorized that helps you in your battle of faith. And this is a good thing.

And it is taught even in God's word and in Ephesians that we take those battle weapons, this battle armor, the breastplate of righteousness, the helmet of salvation, the shield of faith. But the only weapon that is listed here, the weapon of offense, we could say, that we are to fight with. It says in this way, we take the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.

And so it is that God's Word helps us in this battle of faith. It teaches us. It uplifts us. And it is the answer with that which we can answer to the world. As it is written in that other place, in Peter. And it is spoken in this way, that we sanctify the Lord God in your heart, and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.

But if you, brother and sister, are like me, it is often with weak words and stumbling words that we are able to speak to those that ask. And often it is that we keep these words of God more in our hearts. And it helps us to battle personally. But it would be good, as God's word teaches us in that place, that we would have an answer to those that ask about the joy that we have in our hearts.

And I was thinking, do we have to have a complicated answer? Do we have to know the Bible from back to front? No, we don't. It is enough that we can simply say that we believe that our sins are forgiven us in Jesus' name and precious blood. And that we belong to this flock of God's children where the forgiveness of sins is preached through the power of the Holy Spirit.

And this is that joy, this joy of faith grace that each and every one of us has in our hearts. And this is what, if asked, we could tell of just that simple message of God's kingdom, of His grace, and that the doors of God's kingdom are still open, the grace fountains are still bubbling, and that each of you have the power through the Spirit to preach that gospel of the forgiveness of sins.

And in this way, those on the outside can still those who God grants His grace unto, those seeking souls, in this way, they can also enter into God's kingdom. Amen.

Amen. Blessed art thou, O Lord, teach me thy statutes. With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth. I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies as much as in all riches.

And isn't it this way that we can join with the words of the psalm writer? That blessed art thou, O Lord. That we rejoice and give thanks to the heavenly Father that he still allows us to hear and to believe the gospel. That he gives us strength to come before his word to sit and listen and be fed.

As we heard earlier in our sermon before lunch, that God's word feeds us. This is why we come to listen to God's word. Because it is the food for our undying souls. It is what we need to live. Just as we need this food like the ham and potatoes that we ate for lunch for our natural bodies to live. We need this spiritual food also.

And this is why we want to come and gather around God's word to be fed and nourished in a spiritual way. There was another example that a brother gave. I believe it was Thomas Hananen when he was here a few years ago for services there in Longview. And he likened coming to services as a mother who was feeding her son oatmeal in the morning.

And this boy didn't necessarily want to eat his oatmeal. It was a little bit bland. It didn't taste very good. But mom said to eat it. You need it. And isn't it this way? Dear brother and sister with us sometimes I know it is with me that we have to drag ourselves to the hearing of God's word through services and to Bible class.

The flesh has all sorts of excuses not to go, not to stay, not to be fed, but just as that boy realized when he went off to school with his stomach full of oatmeal that he was nourished, he was fed, and he was able to live in the same way when we have been at services. We have been fed. God yet feeds us even though we struggle to come and to listen.

The heavenly Father feeds us and this is what we need. He feeds us with his word and with the gospel and this food belongs to each and every one of you, dear brother and sister, yet this afternoon that you can lift up your hearts to believe all sins forgiven in Jesus name and precious blood.

It is with this food that we are nourished and that we can continue toward heaven. And I too need this food. May I yet believe my sins forgiven. And Jesus himself spoke of this word, spoke of this food. He spoke of himself as that bread of life. It's recorded in John in the sixth chapter it so preciously and clearly teaches us that this word makes us alive as it says here in these last verses that we read that I will delight myself in thy statutes. I will not forget thy word. Deal bountifully with thy servant that I may live and keep thy word.

This word of God is made alive through the Spirit and it is this word that we need to live. As Jesus even spoke to those his disciples and those that were there listening in this way that it is the spirit that quickeneth or makes alive. The flesh profiteth nothing but the words that I speak unto you they are spirit and they are life.

This word of God, this gospel message that sounds forth from God's kingdom is that which gives life. That which can drown sin, wash sin away, remove sin from the heart and conscience and gives life. Sin is that which separates us from God but the gospel and the word of God washes away sin.

These words are the words of life. These precious words that you son or daughter can be uplifted to believe all sins forgiven in Jesus name and precious blood. Continue to use, continue to preach, continue to speak God's word in your homes, to your children, to your spouse, to your roommates for it is with these words, these spoken words of God, this gospel that will carry us to everlasting life.

This word of God is so important and it is that which will carry us another day toward heaven's home. And so continue dear brother and sister to travel putting sin away. God will give strength to battle. Each of us has our own temptations or places of watching. Continue to read God's word and continue to use the sword of the spirit in your lives.

And also remember the servants of God's word that continue to pray that God would give words to them to speak that the word of God could continue to be preached and that this great message of the forgiveness of sins could continue to be broadcast into this world. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Let us join together in the Lord's benediction. Amen. The Lord bless us and keep us. The Lord make His face shine upon us and be gracious unto us. The Lord lift up His countenance upon us and give us peace. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. Amen.