As you know we have been working through a series on the tools of the faith. The last was on cleaning up the stuff in our lives that hinders us and focusing on Jesus; and in doing so our Christian journey is doable, this path is achievable.
Something that flows on from that is how we focus on, how we consider, speak about, think deeply about, the word of God. Well today is Bible Sunday – a day to celebrate the word of God to spend sometime not just thinking about this book, the Bible, but figuring out the value of God’s word in our lives. Why would we bother to read this book, do we have to read it cover too cover, why is it that some people get more out of it than others, does it change lives, and is it really all rules?
Well the tool of the faith that relates most closely to those questions to how we can approach the Bible is meditation.
Meditation may bring about images in your head like this! [Power Point] Interestingly I goggled mediation images and there was page after page of this eastern sort of mediation stuff.
The Bible reading today comes from Psalm 119:9-16. This is the longest psalm and for those of you who have a far better understanding of English and Hebrew than I do, it is an Alphabetic Acrostic Psalm. The person, who wrote it, wrote it celebrating the Hebrew Alphabet. Each chapter consists of eight verses all starting with the same letter, one chapter for each letter of the Hebrew alphabet.
Enough of that – Meditation what is it? The psalmist in this case writes this song about God’s law and his absolute devotion to God. He talks about meditation, about meditating on God’s precepts, wondrous works, statues, promise, law and testimonies.
While for alot of us the word meditate may bring another word ‘OM’, and saffron robed bald men to mind; in the Judeo-Christian sense meditation is something quite different. It directly relates to musing on, considering, thinking about, speaking aloud, telling and thinking deeply about. (repeat)
When it comes to the word of God – meditation on the word relates to considering it as if it is a treasure!
What is it that you treasure? You know: something small and expensive, a person, that thing of little monetary value that was given to you by a favorite relative or friend, a favorite place, a comment someone once made to you. How many times have you thought about it, looked at it, taken in every aspect of it, considered how it came into being, enjoyed being with it, meditated on it?
The Psalmist gets that kind of Joy from the Word of God, Lets look at Psalm 119: 9-16
So “How can a young man keep his way pure? (ask the young men) By living according to your word.”
It strikes me as strange that so many people who have made the commitment to follow Jesus as Lord and Saviour still struggle with a weight of sin that they find hard to bare.
This book is not rocket science. It’s better than rocket science, a young man, a young woman even us older types can keep our way pure. How, by living according to God’s word.
That’s why we should bother to read this book?
1) To keep our way pure. When we understand God’s word, his love for us, and his desire for us to live in a right relationship with him, with one another, his grace in forgiving our sins. We can live a pure life.
This can take some effort on our behalf, we see that the psalmist has asked God, “do not let me stray from your commands, I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.”
You might think well I can live a kind of pure life, I can sin a little here and there, enjoy the odd stolen piece of fruit, well they say “stolen fruit tastes sweeter”. Get involved in that scene that no one else needs know about, just my secret, just our secret.
In the short time that I have been in life and ministry, I have seen enough damage that has occurred from people entering into an arrangement with themselves to sin a little.
A little indiscretion that escalates to a full blown disease, a full blown affair, a full blown crime, a full blown jail sentence, a full blown broken relationship.
We can play our part to avoid this happening by hiding the word of God in our hearts.
You may right now be wondering, how can hiding God’s word in my heart be any different to hiding it on my book case, under my bed, at the bottom of my school bag just to the side of that dried up apple and the chip packet? How?
2) When the Psalmist uses the word hidden to describe what he has done with God’s word, as in “I have hidden your word in my heart so that I will not sin against you”, he uses a Hebrew word that has a double meaning, this word also means ‘treasured.’ He has memorised God’s word. It is now carried in his heart. With God’s word learnt by heart he is living in devotion to the Lord. He wants to have his life in sync with God’s Word and with Gods Will! He has encountered life change by living this way.
In verse 12 he states “Praise be to you, O LORD; teach me your decrees.” The Psalmist is teachable and has a proper regard for God. He wants to live according to God’s plan for his life.
God has a plan for your life. (Show building plans) If we think about that plan we can see the Bible, God’s word as being the specifications (Show some building specifications), specifications are all the ways to look at getting that plan right, guidance on how to do the job right. The Bible is God’s specifications plus a great deal of history, life experience, spiritual guidance, some poetry, and other really useful teaching.
3) I asked the question before, ‘do we have to read this book from cover to cover?’ Well probably not, in fact there have been people who have died and gone to heaven with out reading it cover to cover. There is the criminal who was on the cross next to Jesus cross, for instance.
I would say though, that knowing God’s word gives its readers, those who learn it, a better understanding of how they fit into his plan. Also how they can have that right relationship with him, and in doing so they want to know more, to understand more, because living in God’s will is abundant living. and when we come under attack we have the word of God there in our hearts, in our memories we can use it in our defense. Remember we are involved in a spiritual battle.. This answers another of my questions. Some people get more out of the scriptures, more out of their Christian walk because they really seek to know God through his word.
Later in this Psalm we read the words, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path” (Psalm 119:105).
Last week I spoke about how we should keep our eyes focused on Jesus as we travel through life – lets also remember that his word illuminates the path in his direction. It helps us not to get caught up in false doctrine, wrong teaching about God, legalism and religious blah. Instead we discover the Holiness of God, his desire to be in relationship with us, his love for us, our ability to encounter life change through the power of the Holy Spirit, His Grace and our Salvation. We learn through his word that by living in right relationship with God, our lives take on a dynamic that was not present before. Is there someone here who can say ‘yes’ to this being his or her testimony?
4) The Psalmist worded the 14th verse this way ”I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches”
Now this could be a bit confusing what is a statute? No it’s not one of things made of marble. Well the flowery explanation from the Hebrew is, “a stipulation regulation, the testimony as a written copy of the precepts and stipulations of a covenant or a warning given” did anybody get that? That comes from the Strongest NIV Concordance.
The Moffatt greatly reduced explanation is that a statute, ‘is a directive or specification for living’. Remember though that I got nowhere near the top in my class in English. It’s about guidance!
What the Psalmist was saying was that those directives that he had gained for living from the Bible or what he would have had of the Old Testament at the time he wrote this Psalm, he rejoiced in! Not only did he rejoice in it he put in on a par with great riches!
What would you consider being great riches, flash cars, stately houses, jewelry, land, fine clothing, gold, silver or precious stones?
The Psalmist put the word of God on a par with these things, great riches. He rejoiced in following God’s statutes, as one would rejoice in great riches. Why?
Because he realised that being right with God was of immense value. In verse 45 he states, ”I walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts.”(119:45) His knowledge of this book had brought about freedom in his life, as he came into a right relationship with God.
He realised other things because of his knowledge, “I am a stranger on earth.” (119: 19) He realised as God’s servant he belonged to a Heavenly Kingdom. Though at times when he was weary and sorrowful, God’s word would strengthen him. That God’s commands were trustworthy, here was an individual who lived in the promises of God’s word.
He had had his life changed by living in the word of God. We can encounter life change by really understanding God’s word. (SBI)
5) So another of my questions is answered, does this book change lives? Of course
It does, on a slightly silly note. Who would be here this morning if this book the Bible did not exist? So even if you aren’t a believer this book has effected the direction of your life already.
The book itself though will change nothing in reality, unless we consider the ways of God that are contained in it. We can read it cover for cover gaining nothing from it.
We could go to the finest of University’s, study Theology under the best of Professors gain diplomas, degrees, and doctorates and still gain nothing from this book except a whole lot of head knowledge, unless we consider the ways of God.
Study is one thing – meditation is another!
Do the words of this book become hidden – treasured in your heart, do you speak out the laws that come from the mouth of God, are you rejoicing in God’s directives for living, are God’s ways your ways? We can encounter life change by really understanding God’s word. (SBI)
This book the Bible is God’s guide to life – it is not a book of rules – it is a book of teachings that bring an understanding of how to live a life in real freedom. We can encounter life change by really understanding God’s word. (SBI) This book is guidance.
This book contains lessons for living, as I was working on this sermon I started to think about how I could show you how to meditate on the word of God. But no! It comes down to desire, a desire to seek after God with all of your heart.
Meditation on God’s word, deeply thinking, mulling over, considering, speaking out God’s word will enhance your understanding of and relationship with God. You can encounter life change by really understanding God’s word. (SBI)
Belief is one thing – experience is another.
May you understand the word of God,
May it be treasured in your heart,
Rejoicing in the freedom his teachings for living bring,
Experiencing his word at work in your life and the power of the Holy Spirit at work in you.
Amen
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