How can a young man keep his way pure?
The Word of God • Sermon • Submitted
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· 868 viewsThis sermon addresses the necessity of the Word of God
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
The question that begins this portion of Scripture is a sobering one. Especially for a young Christian today, it’s a staggering question. For parents the question is the same, but in different words; how can my son/daughter stay pure before God in this world today? There is a post from Facebook that I want to read. It says:
BREAKING: The son of Dancehall star Mavado, Dante Brooks has been sentenced to life imprisonment following his murder conviction. He's not eligible for parole before 22 years. Dante was also sentenced to 15 year imprisonment following his illegal possession of firearm conviction and 15 years behind bars for Arson.
His co-accused Andre Hinds has been sentenced to life imprisonment and is not eligible for parole before 17 years in connection with his murder conviction.
Last week we’ve been challenge to build our lives on the word of God as we understand that the word is enough for our salvation and enough to serve God. We need nothing else!! Today’s challenge is similar but different in a few ways. I want to challenge you this morning to have a deeper, lasting relationship with God’s word. Deeper because, well there is where the root of the problem lies and lasting because I am not trying to get you just be emotional about God’s word for a season. My aim is present God’s word to you so that you will not live by bread alone but by every word that comes out of the mouth of God. I want our lives to be lived in God’s word.
2 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.
Three relationships that needs to be formed in order to fully carry out the guarding of your life according to His Word. The first one is betwen the Word and your Heart.
The Word and your Heart (vs. 10-11)
The Word and your Heart (vs. 10-11)
10 With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! 11 I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.
2 Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart,
30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’
It is clear that God wants us to seek Him with our whole heart. Of course in this verse the Psalmist is not referring to the physical heart but it’s the place that is describe as the center of our being. It is the seat of our intellectual life. It is the seat of our emotional life. It is the seat of our spiritual life. Jesus said in Matt. 15:19:
19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander.
God’s word and your heart must connect for you to keep your way pure. It is not enough brother and sisters to merely affiliated with the word. His word must find its place in our hearts. This is crucial as the Psalmist prays at the second part of the verse 10:
10 With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments!
Without God’s word having a contact with your heart then you young man, you will soon wander away from his commandments. Without God’s word having a close relationship with your heart, you young lady will wander away from God. The reason why we have so many backsliders today is because they have wandered away from the word of God.
Yet, the knockout punch comes in verse 11.
11 I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.
The Psalmist goes further to explain what kind of relationship the heart must have with the Word. He says “I have stored up your word in my heart,...” Note the personal pronouns in this verse because they speak of a personal relationship with God’s word. Further, the “I” of this verse expresses to us the personal responsibility of each person to store up or hide God’s word in their heart. Every Christian has a responsibility to get God’s Word in his or her life. Brother, you are responsible in guarding your life according to His word. Sister, you are responsible for guarding your life according to His word. The Psalmist declares the secret to not sinning against God - hide/treasure/store up God’s word in your heart. Not necessarily in the sense of storage amounts but to get it in the keep it there. It means to treasure it or to store it up because of the value which it carries. The focus here is on the quality and not the quantity.
Joseph, even though he was in a land where God was not worshipped, still remembered the law of his God.
9 He is not greater in this house than I am, nor has he kept back anything from me except you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?”
Not only must the Word have a place in our hearts but also it is necessary that the word and our mouths form a relationship.
The Word and your Mouth vs. 12-13
The Word and your Mouth vs. 12-13
12 Blessed are you, O Lord; teach me your statutes! 13 With my lips I declare all the rules of your mouth.
There a connection between the heart and the mouth in Scripture.
14 But the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it.
22 Receive instruction from his mouth, and lay up his words in your heart.
14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.
Even as we receive Salvation, the mouth and the heart is involved.
9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
In this Psalm however, the Psalmist is revealing to us that the way he uses his mouth, firstly is to pray. His prayer is very short but meaningful.
12 Blessed are you, O Lord; teach me your statutes!
This same prayer is repeated several times in this times in this same chapter.
18 Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.
26 When I told of my ways, you answered me; teach me your statutes!
64 The earth, O Lord, is full of your steadfast love; teach me your statutes!
68 You are good and do good; teach me your statutes.
108 Accept my freewill offerings of praise, O Lord, and teach me your rules.
124 Deal with your servant according to your steadfast love, and teach me your statutes.
135 Make your face shine upon your servant, and teach me your statutes.
171 My lips will pour forth praise, for you teach me your statutes.
Like many prayers in the Bible this should be one of our prayers as believers. We should pray that God would teach us his word. After all, that’s one of the things the Holy Spirit is here to do.
13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.
I remember growing up in church but never really knowing God’s word. When it came to Scripture verses, I barely even knew John 3:16. As I looked around, what I saw wasn’t anything different. Not many persons had a knowledge of God’s word. It’s sad because after so many years it’s still true today in so many churches that believers generally don’t know the Scriptures. So I purposed in my heart to seek after knowledge of His word. Though my prayer was not “teach me your statues” I can remember praying that God will increase my knowledge of His word.
There might even be some of you listening to me this morning who desires to know God’s word and may need to start praying this simple prayer “Lord teach me your Word”.
The relationship with the Word and our mouths begins with a simple prayer but then we must declare his word.
13 With my lips I declare all the rules of your mouth.
6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.
Develop a habit of talking about the Word!!
I remember having this friend, years ago, with whom I used to have long conversations. We would talk until there’s nothing else to say. But as my relationship with God began to grow, I would introduce God’s word in our conversations and to my dismay, that would be the end of the chat. Some of you may very well be acquainted with what I’m saying.
Young man, young lady, get comfortable talking about God’s word. Let me also give you some advice for relationships:
If he/she doesn’t want to talk about God or His word, that’s a red flag?
How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to His word.
The Word and your heart must connect, the Word and your Mouth must correlate and the next relationship is the Word and your emotions.
The Word and your Emotions vs. 14, 16a
The Word and your Emotions vs. 14, 16a
14 In the way of your testimonies I delight as much as in all riches.
16 I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word.
You know when a young man loves a young woman; just say her name. It’s the same with a young lady, just say his name.
The interesting thing about this Psalmist is you don’t have read very far into this long chapter to know that this person writing these verses love God’s word. Still, let’s look at the instances he mentioned the word delight in this chapter.
24 Your testimonies are my delight; they are my counselors.
47 for I find my delight in your commandments, which I love.
70 their heart is unfeeling like fat, but I delight in your law.
77 Let your mercy come to me, that I may live; for your law is my delight.
92 If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction.
143 Trouble and anguish have found me out, but your commandments are my delight.
174 I long for your salvation, O Lord, and your law is my delight.
It’s not enough that the Psalmist stores God’s word in his heart. It’s not enough that he prays for knowledge of God’s word. Still, he delights in the Word. God’s word must become a delight to you!!
It must be something that you find contentment in. His word must give you joy to hear and to read. It must bring us pleasure to hear God’s word. We are reminded of when Martha invited Jesus to her home in Luke chapter 10.
39 And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching.
To Mary, Jesus’ words were a delight. His words were so sweet that she couldn’t leave off to go and help Martha in the kitchen.
Illustrate with a movie or series.
If only God’s word could be a delight to you as how a film brings you joy!!
He delights in the word of God as much as in riches. What a love for God’s word!! Let me ask you this? Christian, do you love God’s word?
Conclusion:
How can a young lady keep her way pure? By guarding it according to the word.
How can a christian brother keep his way pure? By guarding it according to the word.
How can a christian sister keep her way pure? By guarding it according to the word.
How can a husband keep his way pure? by guarding it according to the word.
How can wife keep her way pure? By guarding it according to the word.
Three relationships that are necessary in guarding one’s life according to the word. The Word and heart must meet. The Word and your mouths. And the Word and your emotions.
Restoration
12 “Yet even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; 13 and rend your hearts and not your garments.” Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster.
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.