The Difference: Psalm One
Scott Bayles, pastor
Adapted from a sermon by Steven Shepherd
Blooming Grove Christian Church: 2/19/2012
I came across some jokes this week that I thought I’d share with you.
• What’s the difference between a northern fairytale and a southern fairytale?
Northern fairytales start—once upon a time. Southern fairytales start—ya’ll aint believe this.
• What’s the difference between a new husband and a new dog?
It only takes a couple of months to train a new dog.
• What’s the difference between in-laws and outlaws?
Outlaws are wanted.
• What’s the difference between broccoli and a booger?
Kids won’t eat broccoli.
Okay, here’s the real question—what’s the difference between a believer and an unbeliever? This time there’s no punch line. What’s really the difference between a Christian and a non-Christian, someone who has a relationship with God and someone who doesn’t? Unfortunately some studies claim that there isn’t much difference. In the article “The American Witness” which appeared in the Nov/Dec 1997 issue of The Barna Report, George Barna examined 131 different measures of attitudes, behaviors, values, and beliefs. In his research, he discovered that Christians are just as likely as non-Christians to have been divorced, that Christians are just as like to play the lottery. They’re just as likely to see R-rated movies as non-Christians or to download pornography. And, of course, the list goes on. In fact Mr. Barna concluded: in the aspects of lifestyle we examined there is no visible difference between the two segments.
Now, I don’t believe that any of those things determine whether or not a person is a genuine Christian, but morally speaking, the world and even many Christians seem to be living their lives in a rainbow of monochromatic hues. We’ve blurred the line so much that it’s hard to tell the difference between a believer and an unbeliever. That’s not how it’s supposed to be though. There ought to be a difference. Jesus talked about two paths—a narrow road and broad road. One leads to life, the other to destruction. In Psalm One, we discover those same two paths—two paths, walked by two kinds of people, toward two very different destinies! Let me invite you to read these six verses with me and see if we can discover the difference:
Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. But they delight in the law of the LORD, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do. But not the wicked! They are like worthless chaff, scattered by the wind. They will be condemned at the time of judgment. Sinners will have no place among the godly. For the LORD watches over the path of the godly, but the path of the wicked leads to destruction. (Psalm 1:1-6 NLT)
In this psalm, the Holy Spirit draws a sharp contrast between the righteous and the wicked—those who follow God and those who don’t. We see that there are two ways of life and the line between them is not blurred! So, what is the difference and how can we be sure to stay on the path that leads to life?
First, Psalm one says we must be separated from the world.
• SEPARATED FROM THE WORLD
Take another look at that first verse: “Happy are those who don’t listen to the wicked, who don’t go where sinners go, who don’t do what evil people do” (vs. 1 NCV).
In other words, our walk with God depends, in part, on us separating ourselves from the world! We shouldn’t walk, stand, nor sit with those who will lead us away from God. In the New Testament, the Bible says: “Do not be deceived: ‘Bad company corrupts good morals’” (1Cor 15:33). It’s just like your mom used to tell you: “one rotten apple can spoil the whole bunch!” That principle holds true for our spiritual lives as well.
Now that doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t have any association with people who are not Christians. That’s not the point. If it were, how would we ever share Jesus with anyone? Jesus often hung out with questionable characters, but he wasn’t there just to have a good time and go along with the crowd. Rather, he was there to be a light in the darkness. The point is—we are constantly influencing the people around us and the people around us are constantly influencing us. So, are the people in your life influencing you in a positive, loving and godly way? Or are they influencing you in a negative, immoral and ungodly way? So this doesn’t mean that we should have no non-Christian friends, but it does mean that we should be discerning in our relationships.
That’s why the Bible says, “You are not the same as those who do not believe. So do not join yourselves to them. Good and bad do not belong together. Light and darkness cannot share together” (2 Cor. 6:14 NCV). The NKJV phrases it this way: “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers.” The picture here is of two kinds of animals pulling together on the same cart or plow—let’s say an ox and a donkey. What happens is that the ox ends having to work twice as hard because the donkey isn’t pulling his weight. Eventually the ox is going to wear out and collapse. That’s what can happen when we are “unequally yoked” with unbelieving people. We gradually wear out and eventually succumb to the pressure. We give up on God and give in to sin.
And maybe you don’t feel like you’re being led away from God, but that’s the way it is—you just don’t notice! Sin just sort of creeps into our lives, as we become more and more like our surroundings.
Several decades ago, around the turn of the century, musicians noticed that all the errand boys in a certain part of London all whistled out of tune as they rode around on their bicycles making their deliveries. After a while, they discovered that the reason for their poor pitch was that the bells of Westminster were slightly out of tune. The errand boys had unconsciously copied their pitch. In the same way, we tend to copy the people with whom we associate—our worldview is constantly being shaped by the books we read, the music to which we listen, and the TV shows we watch, often without us even noticing it.
If we want to keep joyfully walking with the Lord, then we need to be careful about the company we keep and influences we allow into our lives—we need to be separated from the world. But in addition, we must also be saturated in the word.
• SATURATED IN THE WORD:
The second verse of Psalm One says, “They love the LORD’S teachings, and they think about those teachings day and night” (vs. 2 NCV).
Have you noticed that the level of Bible knowledge in this country is embarrassingly limited? When I worked for Family Christians Stores, I would frequently have customers walked in and say that they needed a Bible. My first question was usually, “What kind of Bible are you looking for?”
The typical response was, “One with New and Old Testaments.”
So, I’d take a different approach and ask, “What translation would like?”
“English,” would be the usual response. Or occasionally I would people who asked for the “Saint James version” of the Bible.
Now I don’t expect people to have an extensive knowledge of all the Bible translations or study Bibles that are available, but the impression I get is that a lot of people have never even opened a Bible. A while back, some very bright college-bound students were tested on their Bible knowledge. These are some of the more unique answers:
• Sodom and Gomorrah were lovers in the Old Testament.
• The New Testament was written by Matthew, Mark, Luther, and John.
• Eve was created from an apple.
• Jesus was baptized by the Apostle Moses.
• Joan of Arc was Noah’s wife.
What’s really sad is that this is so common. God wants us to delight in and meditate on His word. I thought it was interesting that the Hebrew term that is translated meditate, actually means “to speak with oneself, murmuring and in a loud voice.” Have you ever been caught talking to yourself? I’m always so embarrassed if someone catches me talking to myself. But, when we learn to talk to ourselves as we search the Scriptures, we will be doing more than just reading or studying, we will be developing a relationship with God’s word!
Henry Ward Beecher once said that one of the great influences in his life was an uneducated man named Charles Smith. He was a hired hand on the Beecher’s farm and lived on the ranch with their family. Henry said, “Charles…used to lie on his bunk and read the New Testament, not knowing I was listening to him. He would talk about the Scripture out loud and chuckle over it as he read it. I had never heard anything like that before.” Now, there’s a man who knew what it means to delight in and meditate on God’s word!
I’ve said many times that you need to get into God’s Word, so that God’s Word can get into you. We need to saturate our hearts and minds in the Word of God. Finally, Psalm One tells us that blessed and happy followers of Jesus need to be situated by the water.
• SITUATED BY THE WATER
Finally, Psalm One says that believers “are strong, like a tree planted by a river. The tree produces fruit in season, and its leaves don’t die. Everything they do will succeed” (vs. 3 NCV).
You know, trees are important to this world and to people. Can you imagine what our world would be like without trees? Trees help to hold the soil together. They prevent erosion. They provide protection and food for many other plants and animals. The leaves absorb carbon dioxide and produce oxygen. Trees provide fruit for eating and wood for building. But they need sunlight and water in order to survive and grow. And just as trees need water for life and growth so do people.
Did you know?
• 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated.
• In 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak it is often mistaken for hunger.
• Even mild dehydration will slow down one’s metabolism as much as 3%.
• In a University of Washington study, one glass of water, quelled midnight hunger for almost 100% of the dieters studied.
• Lack of water is the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue.
• Preliminary research indicates that 8-10 glasses of water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers.
• A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory.
• Drinking 5 glasses of water daily, decreases the risk of colon cancer by 45%, plus it can slash the risk of breast cancer by 79%, and you’d be 50% less likely to develop other cancer.
It’s amazing what just a little water can do. What H2O does for your body, God’s Holy Spirit does for your soul. Dehydrated spirits send desperate messages. Snarling tempers. Waves of worry. Growing guilt and fear. You think God wants you to live with these? Hopelessness. Resentment. Loneliness. Insecurity. These are warnings—symptoms of a dryness deep within.
Jesus invites you to treat your thirsty soul as you would you physical thirst: “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. If anyone believes in me, rivers of living water will flow out from that person’s heart” (John 7:38 NCV). In the next verse, John tells us, “Jesus was talking about the Holy Spirit.” (John 7:39 NCV). Like a burst open fire hydrant on a hot summer day, the Holy Spirit refreshes, revitalizes and renews dry and thirsty souls.
A word of warning: just because you sit in a church pew every Sunday, doesn’t mean you have streams of living water flowing from your heart. When Jesus made this announcement, he wasn’t talking to prostitutes or prison inmates, troublemaker or tax collectors. Jesus stood and shouted his invitation at the Feast of Tabernacles—a religious convention full of churchgoers. What I’m saying is that you can stand waist deep in the Colorado River and die of thirst. Until you scoop and swallow, the water does your body no good. In order for the Holy Spirit to do what water does, you have to let him penetrate your heart.
Paul commanded the Christians at Ephesus: “Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts” (Ephesians 5:18-19 NLT). Not only does Paul encourage us to drink deeply from the well of God’s Spirit, but gives us the bucket too—worship. When we sing psalms, hymns and spiritual song, making music to God, it opens our hearts up and allows God’s Spirit to flow in a through us. Just as a tree planted along the riverbank is nourished and refreshed by the river, a Christian who opens his or her heart to God is energized and empowered by the Holy Spirit. And God’s Spirit will make all the difference, if you’ll let him.
Conclusion:
There are two ways of life in this world! There are two paths, walked by two kinds of people, toward two very dissimilar destinies! There is a difference. Which path are you on? Are you Separated from the World? Are you Saturated in the Word? Are you Situated by the Water?
If not, then you may be on the wrong path. In God’s eyes, there is a clear line drawn between right and wrong, good and evil. Let’s do our best to make sure that we’re on the right side of that line!
Invitation:
If you need help separating yourself from an unhealthy influence or getting into God’s Word or if you need to receive the Holy Spirit, let us know so that we can help.
