SHOW ME YOUR WAY, LORD (Outline)
March 12, 2023 – Lent 3 – PSALM 25:4-11
INTRO.: Learning takes concentration. We also need a certain willingness if we expect to be taught. May the Lord grant us willingness and concentration as we come before him to learn about his way. "Many nations will come and say, ‘Come, let us go up to the Mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways so that we may walk in his paths’" (MICAH 4:2). Today’s text teaches us about God’s path. SHOW ME WAY, LORD. I. Make me walk in truth. II. Remember your mercy.
I. MAKE ME WALK IN TRUTH.
A. Psalm 25 is a Psalm of David. David was a shepherd. God chose this shepherd boy to become king.
1. Verse 4. David asked the Lord to reveal his ways. “Teach me your paths.”
2. Verse 5. “Make me walk in your truth and teach me”. Only the Lord could do this. And would.
B. Verse 8. The Lord is good. The Lord instructs sinners in the right way. People often go wrong way.
1. Verse 9. The Lord gives direction to the humble. The Lord also teaches the humble.
2. David recognized his own sinfulness. Only the Lord would reveal what is good, right.
C. Verse 10. “All the ways of the Lord are mercy and truth”. Not few…some…many. ALL ways truth.
D. God’s truth is the truth. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. Truth in our world today is described as relative truth. This means: Truth for one person is his/her own truth. My truth might be far different than his/her truth. Therefore, truth is relative to the person who states that truth. Most people today like to say there is no absolute truth. Of course, such a statement is really an absolute truth, isn’t it. Some want to change God’s truth. Dismiss it. Deny God’s truth. They cannot change God’s truth. "’You are a king then?’ Pilate asked. Jesus answered, ‘I am, as you say, a king. For this reason, I was born, and for this reason I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice’" (JOHN 18:37). Jesus testified to his Father’s truth. By his teachings. With his actions. Rejoice that our gracious God has given us the faith to hear God’s voice. Recognize and believe his Truth.
E. Truth is the key to our Christian faith. Truth divides. Some will take their stand on the wrong side of truth. Others will stand on the right side of truth. There really is no middle ground when it comes to truth. Especially God’s truth. How sad today that so many would rather follow the father of lies, Satan. The devil only, always speaks falsely. He tempts us with doubts about life. Forgiveness. Satan wants us to challenge God’s will for our lives. The devil uses all the attractions of this life to try and distract us from the one thing needful. Our sinful flesh desires to walk down the broad path of destruction. Show me your way, Lord. "Now, LORD God, you are God. Your words are truth. You have promised this good thing to your servant" (2 SAMUEL 7:28). MAKE ME walk in your truth.
F. Satan tries to disguise God’s clear truth. The world tempts us to focus on earthly things. Our sinful flesh is all too eager to follow so many distractions. The world wants us to compare. When we compare we will often despair. Our earthly life is not a competition of keeping up with our fellow human beings. Look around. Pay attention. Note the huge difference between the people of the world and the children of the Lord. Do we really want to be like them? Many do not care about controlling their tongue. They have little or no love for others. They deny the truth. We are also sinners. But we also know the truth. “If we say we have fellowship with him but still walk in darkness, we are lying and do not put the truth into practice" (1 JOHN 1:6). Show me your ways, O Lord. MAKE ME walk in your truth.
SHOW ME YOUR WAY, LORD. Make me walk in your truth.
II. REMEMBER YOUR MERCY.
A. Verse 5. “Make me walk”. David knew that only God’s power could change his sin-filled walk.
1. “In you I hope all day long”. The Lord was the only place for the hope of any/every sinner.
2. Verse 6. Sinners need the mercy and compassion of the Lord. Forgiveness: Free and full.
B. Verse 7. “Do not remember the sins…” God’s merciful forgiveness did not keep a record of sins.
1. God’s path and his ways are filled with truth and mercy.
2. God’s reveals his mercy because of his goodness.
C. Verse 11. One last admission about the Lord’s mercy.
1. “For the sake of your name, O LORD, you forgive my guilt, although it is great.”
2. David the shepherd became king. King David became an adulterer. Became a murderer.
a. David slept with friend’s wife. b. Had Uriah killed in battle as a cover up. c. Great guilt.
D. Wow. What happened to David? From lowly shepherd to mighty king. He had it all. The Lord had provided him with everything. We can easily become finger pointers. Look at David. How could he arrange to have his friend, Uriah, killed in battle. What a sinner!! I have never murdered anyone. Who could possibly do such a wicked thing?!? Well, we might want to look in our own mirror. We will also see a wretched sinner. "Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life remaining in him" (1 JOHN 3:15). Sinning goes beyond our actions. Sin infects our very thoughts. Guilty. Hating our brother is murder. Guilty. Sinfulness infects our words. God defines hate-filled, murderous threats as murder. Guilty. “…O LORD, you forgive my guilt…it is great.”
E. David used murder to cover up his adultery. How wicked! I have never had sexual relations with someone else’s wife. How could I do such a thing?!? Again, we look into the mirror. We will see the same kind of wretched sinner. "…I tell you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart" (MATTHEW 5:27). Adultery is not just the act of sexual immorality. God’s laws condemn the indecent thoughts that lurk in our dark hearts. Guilty. Filthy, indecent talk about the opposite sex is sin. Guilty. “…O LORD, you forgive my guilt…it is great.”
F. A Christian walk in a wicked world is challenging. On our own we are lost. Hopeless. In helplessness we pray to know and walk in the Lord’s truth. The prophet Nathan showed David the Lord’s way. David did repent. The Lord remembered his mercy. David was forgiven. We pray the Lord would remember his mercy for us poor, miserable sinners. "Let the wicked man abandon his way. Let an evil man abandon his thoughts. Let him turn to the LORD, and he will show him mercy. Let him turn to our God, because he will abundantly pardon" (ISAIAH 55:7). The Lord does and will show us mercy. God “will abundantly pardon.” Interesting term. The mercy of our loving, heavenly Father forgives, forgives, and forgives again, again, and again. “…O LORD, you forgive my guilt…it is great.”
CONCL.: We do not know God’s will on our own. We cannot know God’s truth on our own. By God’s grace we know God’s will and truth and mercy. "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight" (PROVERBS 3:5, 6). The Lord makes our paths straight. Make me walk in truth, O Lord. Remember your mercy, O Lord. SHOW ME YOUR WAY, O LORD. Amen.
Pastor Timm O. Meyer
LENT 3 readings: EXODUS 17:1-7; ROMANS 5:1-8; JOHN 4:5-26; (PSALM 25)
SERVICES: 8:00am @ McCook (Sun) / 10:30am @ Redeemer (Sun) / NCF 1:00 Min. (Sat) & 12:00 Med. (Sun)
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