sm060114s1@cbfcbaca...Psalm
1
P/T… “Life’s journey offers only two roads—which way are you going?”
*Baccalaureate Sunday
P/T… “Life’s journey offers only two roads—which way are you going?”
*Baccalaureate Sunday
“Life’s Greatest
Choices”
(Decisions that Determine Our Destiny)
(Decisions that Determine Our Destiny)
Opening Statement/Context:
Baccalaureate Sunday… it seems that this Sunday comes so quickly each year, but as I say each year I love this Sunday for many reasons, …as a pastor I love it because—I get to help set the life compass for many of our young people who have accomplished something great, but has an even greater task of accomplishments still before them…I see my task each year on Baccalaureate Sunday as preaching the gospel, but also inspiring our graduates while instructing the rest of us in life, living and the importance of not trying live our lives without God. And so, it is with those things as my guide I’ve been led to talk about “Life’s Greatest Choices…Decisions that Affect Our Destiny”
Baccalaureate Sunday… it seems that this Sunday comes so quickly each year, but as I say each year I love this Sunday for many reasons, …as a pastor I love it because—I get to help set the life compass for many of our young people who have accomplished something great, but has an even greater task of accomplishments still before them…I see my task each year on Baccalaureate Sunday as preaching the gospel, but also inspiring our graduates while instructing the rest of us in life, living and the importance of not trying live our lives without God. And so, it is with those things as my guide I’ve been led to talk about “Life’s Greatest Choices…Decisions that Affect Our Destiny”
As for as
the Bible, [The Word of God] sees life as a journey that offers only two roads.
It doesn’t matter if you’re a high
school drop-out, a high school graduate, a college graduate with an associate’s
degree or with a doctoral degree; life is a journey that offers only two
roads. No matter what profession, career, business, or field that you
pursue in life—you’re only going to have
two roads to choose from. I’m aware that in the modern minds of many this
idea sounds offensive. But in the eternal omniscient will of God, in regards to
our life choices, “it is either /
or, and not …both or and.”
Many who are
philosophical would have you believe something different, but life’s choices are really limited, there are only two
perceptions of reality: the supernatural, and the natural, the
spiritual, and the unspiritual. There are just two conflicting kingdoms: the kingdom of God and the kingdom
of Satan. There are just two roads:
the wide one that leads to destruction and the narrow one that leads to life
eternal [Matt. 7:13-14]. –And that’s
what this 1st Psalm is
all about, when we look at the structure of the Psalm, and the parallelism in
the language of the Psalm, it alone gives grammatical expression to this “either / or” perception of reality.
Observation:
When this Psalm is broken down in it we see the way of the righteous/godly [vv.1-3], and the way of the wicked/ungodly [vv.4-5], which validates that “Life’s journey offers only two roads.” With the question being—which way are you going?” That’s not a question that you ask yourself ‘one day’ ~ you must ask that question ‘everyday.’
Which way am I you going? Which road am I traveling…? Because ‘peer pressure’ as I told the remnant last month, “Although it first rears its ugly head in our lives when we enter adolescence, it is wrong to think that it ends with that period of our lives. ‘Peer pressure’ is also an adult problem. We all experience it [in one form or another] until we die.
And that pressure contributes to which road of the two we travel.
Observation:
When this Psalm is broken down in it we see the way of the righteous/godly [vv.1-3], and the way of the wicked/ungodly [vv.4-5], which validates that “Life’s journey offers only two roads.” With the question being—which way are you going?” That’s not a question that you ask yourself ‘one day’ ~ you must ask that question ‘everyday.’
Which way am I you going? Which road am I traveling…? Because ‘peer pressure’ as I told the remnant last month, “Although it first rears its ugly head in our lives when we enter adolescence, it is wrong to think that it ends with that period of our lives. ‘Peer pressure’ is also an adult problem. We all experience it [in one form or another] until we die.
And that pressure contributes to which road of the two we travel.
When it
comes to the way of the righteous and godly, we see in [v. 1] that the blessed person doesn’t do certain things, and
in [v.2] we see that the blessed
person does do certain things, but in [v.3] we see that as a result of what the blessed person, does and
does not do, they reap benefits both in time and in eternity.
In [v.1] we have an invitation with a promise similar to the Beatitudes… in so many words we’re told if we watch-out for worldly opinions from worldly people, if we guard ourselves from living practical like the world, and if we don’t keep company or make lasting associations with ungodly, sinful, and lost people, not only will we be good with God, we will be both happy and blessed as we walk and live for God, in front of a world waiting on us to fail. But the negative side to this positive position is—if we don’t live this way there will be a progression in our sins [a mini-exposition of progressing depravity] that will proceed from bad to worse.
The person will go from merely walking [following the counsel of careless and ungodly folk], who forget God to becoming habituated to evil to the point where they stand with open defiant sinners who willfully violate God’s commandments; and if left alone, the person goes a step further, and they themselves become teachers and tempters of others, by sitting in the seat of scoffers judging everything and everyone from the perspective of cynicism and pride. Did you get that? A person not walking the way of the righteous is not hard to spot.
In [v.1] we have an invitation with a promise similar to the Beatitudes… in so many words we’re told if we watch-out for worldly opinions from worldly people, if we guard ourselves from living practical like the world, and if we don’t keep company or make lasting associations with ungodly, sinful, and lost people, not only will we be good with God, we will be both happy and blessed as we walk and live for God, in front of a world waiting on us to fail. But the negative side to this positive position is—if we don’t live this way there will be a progression in our sins [a mini-exposition of progressing depravity] that will proceed from bad to worse.
The person will go from merely walking [following the counsel of careless and ungodly folk], who forget God to becoming habituated to evil to the point where they stand with open defiant sinners who willfully violate God’s commandments; and if left alone, the person goes a step further, and they themselves become teachers and tempters of others, by sitting in the seat of scoffers judging everything and everyone from the perspective of cynicism and pride. Did you get that? A person not walking the way of the righteous is not hard to spot.
[Sbs…How do you spot them?] They aren’t
hard to find, whether they are on a college campus, or if the work in a cubicle
next to you, or maybe they’re the owner of a business with the corner office. [Just look for a person who has no ethics
and whose moral decisions aren’t dictated by a godly morality, and someone
whose counsel is always worldly and ungodly].
Now don’t let all of that negative stuff in [v.1] make you miss all of the positive
stuff in [v.2].
See, the righteous person’s delightful attitude toward the Word of God comes with some benefits.
The fact is, the right attitude [delight], will lead to the right action, meditation… As the righteous person delights themselves in The Word of God by, thinking often of it, by reading it often, by speaking of it often, and by obeying it always –God has promised some benefits both in time and eternity for them. Don’t let delighting be confusing… If we delight in a person, we always want to be around them. If we delight in a song, we always want to sing that song. If we delight in a book/movie we always want to read/see it, no matter how many times we’ve been exposed to it. So, if we delight in God’s law, we will always want to meditate, masticate, ruminate, cogitate, and deliberate on the Word of God, so we can keep on the right path and maintain a disciplined god-honoring life [wherever we are and in whatever we are doing].
See, the righteous person’s delightful attitude toward the Word of God comes with some benefits.
The fact is, the right attitude [delight], will lead to the right action, meditation… As the righteous person delights themselves in The Word of God by, thinking often of it, by reading it often, by speaking of it often, and by obeying it always –God has promised some benefits both in time and eternity for them. Don’t let delighting be confusing… If we delight in a person, we always want to be around them. If we delight in a song, we always want to sing that song. If we delight in a book/movie we always want to read/see it, no matter how many times we’ve been exposed to it. So, if we delight in God’s law, we will always want to meditate, masticate, ruminate, cogitate, and deliberate on the Word of God, so we can keep on the right path and maintain a disciplined god-honoring life [wherever we are and in whatever we are doing].
[V.3] uses a simile to describe the
blessed person, the righteous person as a tree “planted by the rivers of water...”
These rivers of waters are like built in sprinklers systems although they are just irrigation ditches, so as the righteous person delightfully meditates on God’s Word, the righteous person will continually to be watered by God’s Word. And the results of this nourishment will be twofold. First, there will be the bearing of fruit [in season]. Second, they will be an evergreen tree. There’s something here that needs clarity, [God’s evergreen trees don’t bring forth fruit all of the time, they only bear fruit “in their season” in other words; “in God’s time, and not ours.” This is a lesson we all must continually learn: “So, let’s not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we shall reap a harvest if we don’t grow weary [Gal.6:9].” The reason God makes righteous people to look like evergreens that never fade, because God’s testimony with the righteous is that because of Him we have true prosperity, eternal blessings and not just material and temporal blessings. Since the Word of God stands forever [Isa. 40:8], God wants the watching world who is waiting on us to fail and fad to know that we too will stand forever like His Word that fills us.
Listen at the promise for the righteous, “Whatever … now this ‘whatever’ is not a license for loose living. This ‘whatever’ has some boundaries… It means; ‘whatever’ the righteous person does based on what the righteous person has learned from meditating on God’s righteous Word, as they apply those truths and principles—they will never be disappointed.”
These rivers of waters are like built in sprinklers systems although they are just irrigation ditches, so as the righteous person delightfully meditates on God’s Word, the righteous person will continually to be watered by God’s Word. And the results of this nourishment will be twofold. First, there will be the bearing of fruit [in season]. Second, they will be an evergreen tree. There’s something here that needs clarity, [God’s evergreen trees don’t bring forth fruit all of the time, they only bear fruit “in their season” in other words; “in God’s time, and not ours.” This is a lesson we all must continually learn: “So, let’s not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we shall reap a harvest if we don’t grow weary [Gal.6:9].” The reason God makes righteous people to look like evergreens that never fade, because God’s testimony with the righteous is that because of Him we have true prosperity, eternal blessings and not just material and temporal blessings. Since the Word of God stands forever [Isa. 40:8], God wants the watching world who is waiting on us to fail and fad to know that we too will stand forever like His Word that fills us.
Listen at the promise for the righteous, “Whatever … now this ‘whatever’ is not a license for loose living. This ‘whatever’ has some boundaries… It means; ‘whatever’ the righteous person does based on what the righteous person has learned from meditating on God’s righteous Word, as they apply those truths and principles—they will never be disappointed.”
[Vv.4-5] These verses address the way of the wicked/ungodly…
They unlike the way of the righteous, represent insecurity and not security.
These verses tell us that the wicked/ungodly have no real future, as well as they don’t have a real hopeful present. Let me say that another way. The wicked/ungodly will experience bitter hopelessness in the future [later], and before future judgment the wicked/ungodly will experience alienation from believers and their blessing [now] in the present. In other words the joy and security of community that the righteous/godly are experiencing now, will be missed as the wicked/ungodly live in the death of their own egos, keeping them separated from God and God’s people [now and later, in time and in eternity].
They unlike the way of the righteous, represent insecurity and not security.
These verses tell us that the wicked/ungodly have no real future, as well as they don’t have a real hopeful present. Let me say that another way. The wicked/ungodly will experience bitter hopelessness in the future [later], and before future judgment the wicked/ungodly will experience alienation from believers and their blessing [now] in the present. In other words the joy and security of community that the righteous/godly are experiencing now, will be missed as the wicked/ungodly live in the death of their own egos, keeping them separated from God and God’s people [now and later, in time and in eternity].
There’s a
whole lot more I could say about the way of the wicked/ungodly, but you get the
idea, their doom is doubled down. –No
matter how successful sinners and scoffers may look now, things aren’t what
they appear to be. They may have it all now, according to the world’s
standards, but according to God’s standards the only standards that matter, the
wicked/ungodly will certainly discover that their worldly success had no
eternal value.
Did you get that? You can pick your profession,
business, field, or career, but it won’t be successful if it keeps you from the
things of God with eternal value.
So whatever
you do for a living for yourself and family, don’t allow it to keep you from
living for God and heaven!
[Sbs…Why?]
[Sbs…Why?]
The answer
is in [v.6] …For the Lord knows the way of the
righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish.
Summation:
You shouldn’t want a job, a profession, a business, a field, or a career, that restricted you from having/experiencing the assurance that the righteous/godly has been promised.
I would think a person would rather have a lower paid job on earth, that didn’t interfere with the eternal rewards of heaven, then to have a high-paying job on earth, that interfered with their eternal rewards of heaven.
Now, I’m not saying that only poor people or going to heaven, no more than I’m saying rich people are going to hell.
What I’m saying is: “Be careful which road you choose first, if you choose the road of success before you choose the road to salvation, it might be harder to change roads. But if you choose the road of salvation first, then any success you have on this road can be fully and proudly experienced without the need to change roads…
Summation:
You shouldn’t want a job, a profession, a business, a field, or a career, that restricted you from having/experiencing the assurance that the righteous/godly has been promised.
I would think a person would rather have a lower paid job on earth, that didn’t interfere with the eternal rewards of heaven, then to have a high-paying job on earth, that interfered with their eternal rewards of heaven.
Now, I’m not saying that only poor people or going to heaven, no more than I’m saying rich people are going to hell.
What I’m saying is: “Be careful which road you choose first, if you choose the road of success before you choose the road to salvation, it might be harder to change roads. But if you choose the road of salvation first, then any success you have on this road can be fully and proudly experienced without the need to change roads…
That’s the
assurance we have being the righteous/godly…
The Lord knows the way we’re going.
The Lord keeps His eyes on the road that the righteous/godly travels.
The Lord has His ear open to the road that the righteous/godly travels.
The Lord’s Spirit abides with every righteous/godly traveler on His road.
While travelling on the righteous road with God, we have the peace of God because the Lord communicates with every righteous/godly traveler on His road.
The Lord knows the way we’re going.
The Lord keeps His eyes on the road that the righteous/godly travels.
The Lord has His ear open to the road that the righteous/godly travels.
The Lord’s Spirit abides with every righteous/godly traveler on His road.
While travelling on the righteous road with God, we have the peace of God because the Lord communicates with every righteous/godly traveler on His road.
Can I tell you something I
discovered—about God’s road and His way?
You don’t have to know the way, on God’s road, you just need to know and trust the guide.
You don’t have to know the way, on God’s road, you just need to know and trust the guide.
*Do you know the Guide? …He
guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name sake.
The
Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He maketh me to
lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Conclusion:
I’m closing but I need for you to know that the very call to blessing in [v.1], however, precipitates a crisis.
[Sbs…Make it plain pastor!]
You can’t navigate God’s road alone.
You can’t avoid the counsel of the ungodly in our secular society without the presence of God.
You can’t meditate on the Word of God day and night without the Spirit/Mind of God.
You can’t be a fruitful evergreen in this dry/dark world without the constant watering of God’s Word.
But don’t let those things get you down, because “In Christ” [we can do all things, because He strengthens us].
This calling in Psalm 1 is consummated by the Lord Jesus Christ. [In other words]…
*It is Jesus who executes, fulfills, effects, accomplishes, achieves, carries-out, discharges, and performs the duties [of Psalm 1]
You can’t navigate God’s road alone.
You can’t avoid the counsel of the ungodly in our secular society without the presence of God.
You can’t meditate on the Word of God day and night without the Spirit/Mind of God.
You can’t be a fruitful evergreen in this dry/dark world without the constant watering of God’s Word.
But don’t let those things get you down, because “In Christ” [we can do all things, because He strengthens us].
This calling in Psalm 1 is consummated by the Lord Jesus Christ. [In other words]…
*It is Jesus who executes, fulfills, effects, accomplishes, achieves, carries-out, discharges, and performs the duties [of Psalm 1]
It is He
[Jesus] who lives in perfect
communion with God through us.
It is He [Jesus] who delights in the Word of God through us.
It is He [Jesus] who prospers in all of God ways through us.
This is the benefit for being “In Christ” we become the blessed person of Psalm 1.
…“In Christ” Jesus fulfills the divine demands of God and incorporates us into His divine life.
…“In Christ” Jesus gives us His own righteousness.
It is He [Jesus] who delights in the Word of God through us.
It is He [Jesus] who prospers in all of God ways through us.
This is the benefit for being “In Christ” we become the blessed person of Psalm 1.
…“In Christ” Jesus fulfills the divine demands of God and incorporates us into His divine life.
…“In Christ” Jesus gives us His own righteousness.
As we live “In Christ” on God’s road, we will be
that tree planted and our way will be known to God.
As we live “In Christ”, His psalms become our psalms and the road to happiness, to blessing is ours.
As we live “In Christ”, His psalms become our psalms and the road to happiness, to blessing is ours.
So
‘whatever’ you do, in regards to making your life’s choices remember your daily
decisions determine your destiny!
Amen…
Amen…
No comments:
Post a Comment