Outline
I. Introduction
II. Transition
III. Exposition
a. Spiritual abundance is directly connected to God’s Word. (v.17)
i. Spiritual abundance exceeds worldly prosperity.
b. We are pilgrims in this life. (v.19)
i. Remain committed on the journey
ii. This “with-God” life is a consecrated journey. (v.20)
iii. Eyes which are open to the wonderful things of God’s law are needed in order to have a committed heart.
c. Unbelief, a lack of consecration, committed heart hinders the work of Christ. (Matthew 13:58) (v.21,22)
d. Ultimately we ought to be thankful for God revealing His love and justice through the word and desirous, as is the Psalmist, of bringing the beauty of God’s worth into the here and now through:
i. Abandonment: An Undivided Heart to the worth of God
ii. Bowing Down: A Surrendered Heart to the will – word of God.
iii. Consecration: A Committed Heart on the consecrated journey.
IV. Application (Practical)
a. Holiday Ideals
i. We may be disappointed by our imperfect families.
ii. Our culturally conditioned ideals may not be met.
b. Godly Ideals
i. The world always disappoints but God brings healing.
ii. Our cultural identity as believers is different.
c. Remain awake (eyes open, v.18) that the source of our thanksgiving is heavenly, not earthy. Remain consecrated, committed.
V. Conclusion (Theological Application)
a. Thanksgiving is ultimately raised to God through commitment to and love for Him through obedience to His precepts. (Luke 6:46-49)
b. What is genuine thanksgiving to God in biblical terms? An undivided, surrendered, and committed heart.
Introduction
It has been said that the common breakfast of bacon and eggs is well suited to illustrate the notion of total devotion and commitment. For you see on that breakfast plate the chicken who gave the eggs is involved but the pig who gave his life is fully committed. What does God require of those whom are called by grace? What is the level of involvement required of followers of Jesus?
In Luke 9:23-25 the words of Christ are recorded saying that "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?” (NIV84)
Transition
For the past two weeks and now today we have been looking at what the author of Psalms 119 has to say about having a right heart toward God in thanksgiving for giving us His love, His life, and most notably His word.
Please bear in mind though that throughout what we’ve been examining that nowhere is there to be found a legalism with regard to God’s law; rather a love.
It has been said that "The law is no do-it-yourself manual which God has handed over to man. It is the written part of a life-long teach-in. With it comes the assurance of his living presence."
Living according to the law is not a prerequisite to receiving the grace of God. It is the natural consequence of receiving the grace of God. He calls us to live according to His word and He empowers us by transforming us through His word.
CIT: We are strangers in this world; God’s law lights the path of the pilgrimage.
CIS: Walk as citizens of the Kingdom of God, transformed at the level of our very hearts in order to make the beauty of God known our of love for Him.
Exposition
In this the third of 22 stanzas of Psalms 119, the writer clearly states that spiritual abundance is directly connected to God’s Word. (v.17)
We should take note that there are a lot of false forms of spiritual abundance and take care to avoid them. Spiritual abundance far exceeds worldly prosperity. The Psalmist is speaking of the spiritual life found in fellowship with God.
The outward life of growth in Christ which manifests in forgiveness, love, charity, gentleness, patience, and all other manner of spiritual fruit begins, of course, with a life of spiritual abundance; a life of fellowship with God.
John Calvin, commenting on Psalm 119:17 more than 4 centuries ago stated that this passage can basically be understood in two ways. They may be read as a separate clause, in this manner: O God! display thy goodness to thy servant, and thus I shall live, or then I shall esteem myself happy.
Or the verse may form one connected statement: O God! grant to thy servant the favor that, while I live, I may keep thy commandments. If the former rendering of the passage is taken, then, by these words, the prophet declares that, without the favor of God, he is like a dead man; that though he might abound in every thing else, yet he could not subsist without feeling that God was favorable towards him.
He says, and I agree with him, that the latter interpretation is preferable, That the prophet asks as a principal favor, that, while he lives, he may devote himself entirely to God; being fully persuaded that the grand object of his existence consists in his exercising himself in his service, an object which he firmly resolves to pursue.
For this reason these two clauses are connected together, that I may live, and keep thy word. “I desire no other mode of living than that of approving myself to be a true and faithful servant of God.” (My whole heart)
All wish God to grant them a prolongation of their life; a wish after which the whole world ardently aspire, and yet there is scarcely one among a hundred who reflects upon the purpose for which he ought to live.
To withdraw us from cherishing such irrational propensities, the prophet here describes the main object of our existence. He declares it to be owing to the peculiar grace of the Holy Spirit, that any person keeps the law of God.
Had he imagined that the preparing oneself for the observance of his law depended on his own free will, then this prayer would have been nothing else than downright hypocrisy.
The Psalmist recognizes his utter need for total dependence upon God in order to keep his way straight and to live a life which is pleasing to God. In order to depend upon God we must let go of this world and cling to Christ – internally.
The attitude of our spirits must be like that of the pilgrim sojourner who is more committed to his journey than he is to any one location along that journey.
In verse 19 the writer says that we are pilgrims in this life. (v.19) A pilgrim, while he may take and interest in a certain location along his path is essentially committed to the journey.
When I was a younger man, barely 20, I was very impressed with a certain wealthy businessman that I met and I expressed a desire to him that one day I would very happy if I might be nearly as successful as him. In return he expressed a desire for me that I might learn to be happy at all stages along the way to whatever success God had in store for me. He was a wise man. I took his advice.
The sojourner knows that life is happening right now. This is your life. So often we look to the day when God will grant us great prosperity and then we will be happy. Happiness and contentment don’t necessarily follow success in those terms. This “with-God” life that we are living is a consecrated journey. (v.20)
If we would find contentment we must live with eyes that are open to the wonderful things of what God is doing in our life now. This point is well made by the Apostle Paul writing to his son in the faith. “If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, he is conceited and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions and constant friction between men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain. But godliness with contentment is great gain.” (1 Timothy 6:3-6 NIV84)
Unbelief, a lack of consecration, committed heart hinders the work of Christ. (Matthew 13:58) (v.21,22) The Christian life is a pilgrimage of faith. The with-God life is a moment by moment sojourn through this broken world. The Christian life is about strapping on your sandals, picking up your walking stick, and following after the Master of Mercy – Jesus Christ! Right now! This moment!
A pilgrim may consider and appreciate the past but he isn’t living it. He may look up ahead to ensure that he is going in the right direction but he is in the now…
Ultimately we ought to be thankful for God revealing His love and justice through the word and desirous, as is the Psalmist, of bringing the beauty of God’s worth into the here and now through:
Abandonment: An Undivided Heart to the worth of God, Bowing Down: A Surrendered Heart to the will – word of God, and Consecration: A Committed Heart on the consecrated journey.
Practical Application
These ideals from the Scripture while they are theological and broad in their application, they have bearing on this very holiday season. The holiday season can be very difficult, not only for those who are alone during this season but also for those of us who need God to give us the patience to endure the blessing of not being alone.
We have certain expectations, Holiday Ideals, which are likely not to be met. We may be disappointed by our imperfect families. Some of which may merely be laughable but some of which may be very hurtful. Our hopes may not be met.
Rather than focusing upon our culturally conditioned ideals I would suggest to you focusing upon godly Ideals. Remember that the world always disappoints but God brings healing. People can never meet our expectations perfectly.
However, our cultural identity as believers is different. Remain awake (eyes open, v.18) that the source of our thanksgiving is heavenly, not earthy. Remain consecrated, committed, giving thanks to God for salvation and the great gift of knowing Him through all that this world brings onto our journey. (Avoid selfish sanctity – false expressions of piety and rest in the Lord.)
Conclusion
One day, Johann Tauler of Strasbourg met a peasant. "God give you a good day, my friend," he greeted him. The peasant answered briskly, "I thank God I never have a bad day." Tauler, astonished, kept silent for a moment. Tauler then added, "God give you a happy life, my friend." The peasant replied composedly, "I thank God I am never unhappy."
"Never unhappy!" cried Tauler bewildered, "What do you mean?" "Well," came the reply, "when it is sunshine--I thank God, when it rains--I thank God, when I have plenty--I thank God, when I am hungry--I thank God; and since God's will is my will, and whatever pleases God pleases me, why should I say that I am unhappy when I am not?" Tauler looked upon him with awe. "Who are you," he asked. "I am a king," said the peasant.
"A king?" Tauler asked, "Where is your kingdom?" The peasant smiled and whispered softly, "In my heart."
Who is the fool? The man looking heavenward with abiding peace and lasting eternal hope or the man whose eyes are so transfixed upon the trials and travails of this life that he never looks up to gaze at heaven in thanks for all that God has done for him?
At the end of the day we have but two choices. We can abandon, bow down, and consecrate our lives to the will of God in our lives with an undivided heart or we can remain trapped – to greater or lesser extents – in the quagmire of the hopelessness that arrests this world.
Friends, I’m not a primarily a citizen of this broken world. I’m just passing through. Along the way my heart’s desire, as with the author of Psalms 119, is to walk in the light of His Word, consecrated as a pilgrim on a sacred journey, making the beauty of my king and the reality of His kingdom known.
Thanksgiving cannot ultimately be shut up in a single day. It is an attitude of recognition of God’s glory and revelation and a life dedicated to Him in response of all that He has done for us. Amen.
