LibertyChurch

Sermons

September 6, 2015

Hearing Psalm 119

Dr. David J. Vaughan

Sermon Transcript

The following is a lightly edited transcript generated from the audio; it may contain small errors.

How We Hear

As you know, for several weeks I’ve been studying the parable, which is really the parable of the soils. And Jesus, as we pointed out last week, at the end of the parable Jesus says this in verse 24 of Mark 4. [audio unclear] “…with the same measure you use, it will be measured to you, and to you who hear, more will be given.” In other words, the benefit of the seed depends on the condition of the soil. The benefit we receive from the word depends on how we are hearing the word. I’ve been amazed over the years how I’ll give a sermon and people tell me comments about the sermon afterwards and I’m like I didn’t say that. But they heard it. And sometimes it’s really, really good things from the [audio unclear] Lord, although it might not have been for me. So how we hear is really the key to the parable which is why Jesus said earlier in this passage this parable is the key to all parables because the thing that unlocks the word is the fact that we’re hearing the word appropriately. Someone can read the word and get no benefit from it. As a matter of fact, there are great, renowned theologians who study the Bible, study theology their entire lives, but they’re devoid of spiritual insight. The Pharisees knew the word better than you and I probably, right? And yet when the living Word was in front of them, they couldn’t [audio unclear] to the condition of our hearts as we hear the word.

Spiritual Illumination

So that’s why last week I spoke on how we approach scripture and I mentioned several things that we need to have an attitude of repentance, that we need to go to the word being willing to confess our sins, that we need to go to the word with humility, that we need to go to the word with a yielding spirit. All of these are necessary conditions if we’re going to have good soil. So, one other thing that we need, that I wanted to share, is that we need spiritual illumination.

Jesus doesn’t address this here, and in many of the gospel texts, Jesus says things like, you can’t do that. And we can’t. By ourselves we can’t do that. But as we learn in John, Jesus says, apart from me you can do nothing, which implies that with Him we can do all things. Which is what Paul tells us. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. So we do what we can do. God has to do what only God can do. If we have the right heart in the sense of the right disposition, if we’re willing to have a humble attitude before God, if we are willing to acknowledge our sin, if God should show us our sin, if If we are willing to obey should God impress upon the command, if that is the attitude of our hearts, then God will give us illumination. But if we read the word or hear the word preached and we have a hard heart, a resistant heart, a stubborn heart, the seed will not benefit us. It will not take root and it will not grow. That’s the message Jesus wants us to hear. He wants us to hear that we need to hear. God’s part is that God, for his children, will illuminate the word for us through the Holy Spirit that He’s given to us. Jesus said that the spirit would come after he was resurrected and ascended. He would send the spirit and the Spirit would be another, another like Him, another Counselor. Or it could be interpreted instructor or teacher. It’s often translated comforter, which is really the best word because it implies you’re all messed up and he’s kind of patting you on the back, it’s going to be okay. Now he does that too. But the word actually means more like strengthener or it can be translated someone who comes alongside who can plead your case, if you will, an advocate. That’s how it’s translated in 1 John 2 where it says that we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous one. He’s our advocate. He empowers us to do what is right. So the Spirit comes and He then illuminates our minds so that we can understand the word, provided that, you listening? Divided that we’re willing to hear. Because if we don’t want to hear, it doesn’t want to hear, then it doesn’t really matter how much work the Spirit does, we can resist the work of the Holy Spirit. It’s a mystery why God lets us do that, but He does. But I’m thankful that the Lord is generally more stubborn than I am. You know what I mean. And that usually, in these battles of the will, He usually wins. Eventually, He usually wins. on just how stubborn I am.

The Wisdom of God: 1 Corinthians 2

In 1 Corinthians chapter 2, Paul says this, he says in verse 7, he says, But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. Now notice Paul refers to his message as a mystery. Now we think of a mystery as something that can’t be understood but in Scripture a mystery is something that is hidden but only temporarily. It’s hidden to be revealed. So that’s why Jesus said there’s nothing hidden except to be revealed. So anything God held back if you will in the Old Covenant, anything he didn’t fully reveal in the New Covenant comes then and through the ministry of the apostles and the inspiration given to them, He now reveals things that were mysteries. Of course to those outside of the kingdom who do not have the spirit, they continue to be mysteries. And that’s why Paul even refers to preaching as foolishness because to the unbeliever it is. To the non-Christian What is… some Jew dying in Palestine two thousand years ago, what does that have to do with me?

Well, not understanding that Jesus was the Son of God and that when Jesus died on the cross, what was happening was a public transaction where God was laying your sins on Jesus. God was punishing Jesus for your sins so that you would not have to be punished. And that by believing in Jesus Christ, you could receive forgiveness of sins and eternal life because of who He was, God in the flesh, taking your sins upon Himself, removing the barrier between you and Him through His great love, His death, His burial, His resurrection, on your behalf. It is a mystery how God could make [audio unclear] Amen. Now this is for you. [audio unclear] “the Spirit who is from God.” Why? Look what he says. That we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.

So no one can know the things of God except God. The Spirit of God. But those who have the Spirit of God, they can know the things of God. And when we put our faith in Christ, he gives us that Spirit. And he gives us the new birth, and we’re born anew by that spirit. And we now have illuminated understanding. We can see, as Jesus said, we can see the kingdom of God. We can now understand the mysteries of God. So that’s why Jesus said to the twelve, and really to us, blessed are your eyes that see and your ears that hear. Because great men and kings and prophets of old desire to know these things, but it wasn’t given to them to know, it was given to us to know. What a great gift, amen. That you and I know things that some of the great men of God of old did not know, because we have the Spirit of God in us. Verse 13, these things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he was spiritual judges or discerns all things, but he himself is rightly judged or discerned by no one. For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him, but we have the mind of Christ. This morning as an act of worship, what I’d like us to do is we’re going to read through Psalm 119. And if you have a Bible, I’d like you to follow along the reading of Psalm 119. Now I’ve asked various men to come up and read portions of that scripture. I’m not going to call you by name, but as we read through the Psalm, you follow along at the appropriate time, just come forward and I’d like you to read the Psalm. I don’t I want to read it in a hurried fashion. It’s not Bible quizzing. I get quizzes in my Bible class, and I’m like, slow down. Slow down. We want to read the Psalm, as we say, meditatively. But more importantly, we need to read the Psalm with an open heart. Do you know what I mean by that? That means that we are open to the impressions of the Holy Spirit. We’re open to the bickering of the Holy Spirit as we read the Word. So as we read through this Word, our prayer should be, Lord, give me ears to hear. Give me ears to hear. And I believe that if that’s our prayer, I believe that the Lord will speak to many of you today. So I would encourage you to have a pen in hand, because as we read through Psalm 119, the Lord will impress some of these verses on your heart. So I encourage you to jot those down as we read through this Psalm. And then you take those scriptures before the Lord and then ask the Lord to instruct you further in whatever He would want to teach you out of this Psalm.

Psalm 119

And I’m going to begin, so let’s all go to Psalm 119.

Psalm 119 verse 1. Blessed are the undefiled in the way who walk in the law of the Lord. Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with the whole heart. They also do no iniquity, they walk in his ways. You have commanded us to keep your precepts diligently. Oh that my ways were directed to your statutes, then I would not be ashamed when I look into all your commandments. I will praise you with uprightness of heart when I learn your righteous judgments. I will keep your statutes. Oh do not forsake me utterly. How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word. With my whole heart I seek you. Let me not wander from your commandments. I have stored up your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. Blessed are you, O Lord. Teach me your statutes. With my lips I declare all the rules of your mouth. In the way of your testimonies I delight as much as in all riches. I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways. I will delight in your statutes. Feel bountifully with your servant that I may live and keep your word. Open my eyes that I may behold, wondrous things out of your law. I am a sojourner on the earth. Hide not your commandments from me. My soul is consumed with longing for your rules at all time.

You rebuke the insolent, accursed ones who wander from your commandments. Take away from me scorn and contempt, for I have kept your testimonies. Even though the princes sit plotting against me, your servant will meditate on your statutes. Your testimonies are my delight. They are my consulars. My soul clings to the dust, revive me according to your word. I have declared my ways and you answered me. Teach me your statutes, make me understand the way of your precepts. O, shall I meditate on your wonderful works. My soul melts from heavens, strengthen, me according to your word, remove me from the way of line. And I grant me your law graciously. I have chosen the ways of truth, your judgments I have laid before me. I cling to your testimonies. O Lord, do not put me to shame. I will run the course of your commandments, for you shall enlarge my heart.

Teach me, O Lord, the way of Your statutes, and I will keep it to the end. Give me understanding, that I may keep Your law and observe it with my whole heart. Lead me in the path of Your commandments, for I delight in it. Incline my heart to Your testimonies, and not to selfish gain. Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things, and give me life in Your ways. Confirm to your servant your promise, that you may be feared. Turn away the reproach that I dread, for your rules are good. Behold, I long for your precepts, and righteousness give me a life. Let your steadfast love come to me, O Lord. Your salvation according to your promise. Then I shall have an answer for him who taunts me, for I trust in your word. And take not your word of truth utterly out of my mouth, for my hope is in your rules. I will keep your law continually, forever and ever. And I shall walk in a wide place, for I have sought your precepts. I will also speak of your testimonies before kings, and shall not be put to shame. For I find my delight in your commandments, which I love. I will lift my hands toward your commandments, which I love, and I will meditate on your statutes. Remember the word of your servant in which you have made me hope. This is my comfort and my affliction that your word has revived me. The arrogant utterly deride me, yet I do not turn aside from your law. I have remembered your ordinances from of old, O Lord, and comfort myself. Burning indignation has seized me because of the wicked. Who forsake your law? Your statutes are my songs in the house of my pilgrimage. O Lord, I remember your name in the night and keep your law. This has become mine that I observe your precept. The Lord is my portion. I promise to keep your words. I entreat your favor with all my heart. Be gracious to me according to your promise. When I think of I think of my ways, I turn my feet to your testimonies. I hasten and do not delay to keep your commandments. Though the cords of the wicked ensnare me, I do not forget your law. At midnight I rise to praise you because of your righteous rules. I am a companion of all who fear you, of those who keep your. The earth, O Lord, is full of your steadfast love. Teach me your statues. You have dealt well with your servant, O Lord, according to your word. Teach me good discernment and knowledge, for I believe in your commandments. Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep your word. You are good and do good. Teach me. Your statutes, the arrogant have forged a lie against me. With all my heart I will observe your precepts. Their heart is covered with fat, but I delight in your law. It is good for me that I was afflicted, but I may learn your statutes. The law of your mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver pieces.

Your hands have made me and fashioned me, given me understanding that I may learn your commandments. Those who fear you shall see me and rejoice because I have hoped in your word. I know, O Lord, that your rules are righteous and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me. Let your steadfast love comfort me according to your promise to your servant. your mercy come to me that I may live for your law is my delight let the insolent be put to shame because they have wronged me with falsehood as for me I will meditate on your precepts let those who fear you turn to me. me that they may know your testimonies may my heart be blameless in your statutes that I may not be put to shame my soul faints for your salvation but I hope in your word. My eyes fail from searching your word, saying, When will you comfort me?

For I have become like a wineskin in smoke, yet I do not forget your statutes. How many are the days of your servant? When will you execute judgment on those who persecute me?

The proud have dug pits for me, which is not according to Your law. All of Your commandments are faithful. They persecute me wrongfully, help me. They almost made an end of me on earth, but I did not forsake your precepts. Revive me, according to your loving kindness, so that I may keep the testimony of your mouth.

Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven. Your faithfulness continues throughout all generations. You established the earth, and it stands. They stand this day according to your ordinances, for all things are your servants. If your law had not been my delight, then I would have perished in my affliction.

I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have revived me. I am yours. For I have sought your precepts, the wicked wait for me to destroy me. I shall diligently consider your testimonies. I have seen a limit to all perfection. Your commandment is exceedingly broad. O how love I though, thy law. It is my meditation all the day. Though Thou art my commandment, has made me wiser than my enemies, for they are ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers, for Thy testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the ancients because I keep Thy precepts. I have refrained my feet from even every evil way that I may keep Thy word. I have not departed from thy judgments, for thou hast taught me. How sweet are thy words unto my taste, yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth. Through thy precepts I get understanding, therefore I hate every false way. Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light unto my path. I have sworn and confirmed I will keep your righteous judgments. I am afflicted very much. Revive me, O Lord, according to your word. Next I pray the free roll offerings in my mouth, O Lord, and teach me your judgments. My life is continually in my hand, yet I do not forget your law. The wicked have laid a snare for me, yet I have not strayed from your precepts. The testimonies I have taken as a heritage forever, for they are rejoicing in my heart. I have inclined my heart to perform their statutes forever to the very end. I hate those who are double-minded, but I love your law. You are my hiding place and my shield. I wait for your word. Depart from me, evildoers, that I may observe the commandments of my God. Sustain me according to your word that I may live. Do not let me be ashamed of my hope. Uphold me that I may be safe, that I may have regard for your statutes continually. You have rejected all those who wander from your statutes, for their deceitfulness is useless. You have removed all the wicked of the earth like dross. Therefore I love your testimonies. My flesh trembles for fear of you, and I am afraid of your judgments. I have done right rulings and righteousness. Leave me not to my oppressors. Guarantee your servant’s well-being. Let not the proud oppress me. My eyes have pinned away for your deliverance and the word of your righteousness. Do with your servant according to your loving commitment and teach me your ways. I am your servant. Make me understand that I might know your witness. It is time for Yahweh to act. for them that have broken your Torah. Therefore, I loved your commands. More than gold, even fine gold. Therefore, all your orders I count as right. I have hated every false way. Your statutes are wonderful. Therefore, I obey them. The unfolding of your words gives light. It gives understanding to the simple. I open my mouth and pant, longing for your commands. Turn to me and have mercy on me, as you always do to those who love your name. Direct my footsteps according to your word. Let no sin rule over me. Redeem me from the oppression of men, that I may obey your precepts. Make your face shine upon your servant and teach me your decrees. of tears flow from my eyes for your law is not obeyed. Righteous are you, O Lord, and your laws are right. The statutes that you have laid down are righteous, and they are fully trustworthy. My zeal wears me out, for my enemies ignore your words. Your promises have been thoroughly tested, and your servant loves them. Though I am lowly and despised, I do not forget your precepts. Your righteousness is everlasting and your law is true. Trouble and distress have come upon me, but your commands are my delight. Your statutes are forever right. Give me understanding that I may live. I cry out with my whole heart, Hear me, O Lord. I will keep your statutes. I cry out, Save me, and I will keep your testimonies. I rise before the dawning of the morning and cry for help. I hope in your word. My eyes are awake through the night watches, that I may meditate on your word. Hear my voice according to your loving kindness. O Lord, revive me according to your justice. They draw near who follow after wickedness. They are far from your law. You are near, O Lord, and all your commandments are truth. concerning your testimonies, I have known of old that you have founded them forever. Lord my God, look upon my suffering and deliver me, for I have not forgotten your law.

Defend my cause and redeem me. Preserve my life according to your promise. Salvation is far from the wicked, for they do not seek out your decrees. Your compassion, Lord Yahweh, the one who keeps coming with me. Your compassion is great. my life according to your laws. Many are the foes who persecute me, but I have not turned from your statutes. I look on the faithless with loathing, for they do not obey Your word. See how I love your precepts. Preserve my life, Lord, in accordance with your love, for all your words are true. All your righteous laws are eternal. “…persecute me without cause, but my heart stands in awe of Your words. I rejoice” [audio unclear] “I keep Your precepts and Your testimonies, for all my ways are before You. Let my cry come before You, O Lord.” Give me understanding according to your word. Let my supplication come before you. Deliver me according to your word. My lips shall utter praise for you teach me your statutes. My tongue shall speak of your word for all Your commandments are righteousness.

Thanksgiving for the Word

Lord, I want to thank You that Your word is perfect. [audio unclear] It converts our soul. I thank you that your testimonies are sure. Making us wise. Your statutes are right. They rejoice our heart. Your commandment is pure. It enlightens our eyes. We thank you, Lord, that your worship is clean and during forever. Your judgments are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired, Lord, is your word, than gold, than silver, than home, than friend, than spouse, than child.

We thank you that your word, Lord, warns us. And by keeping your word, there’s great reward for us. We thank you, Lord, that you’ve not left us in the dark. that you have given us the light of your spirit and the light of your word. And Jesus, as You told the twelve, Lord, blessed, blessed, blessed are our eyes, and blessed are our ears that You have given us [audio unclear] understanding into Your word. I pray dear God that we would appreciate and cherish your word Lord according to its true value in your estimation. I ask Lord that you would grant us the ministry of your spirit as we personally meditate and and read and study your word. I ask that we would be instructed, Lord, not only in the letter of your word but in the spirit of your word and that through your word, Lord, we might truly be converted, made wise, be enlightened and that we would grow and be fruitful, Lord not for our sakes ultimately but Lord for your glory as a testimony to the power and beauty of your word and your spirit. We pray all of this Lord in your name, in the name of Jesus, amen.

The Lord’s Supper and the Heart

We’re going to take the Lord’s Supper, I wanted to share a few thoughts before we do. If you would look at 1 Corinthians 11, we’re going to read through this well-known passage on the Lord’s Supper. Paul is speaking in 1 Corinthians 11. He’s dealing with some problems in the Corinthian church, some disorders. One of the problems was the way they were conducting the Lord’s Su, so he’s trying to straighten that out. He says in verse 23, For I have received from the Lord, that which I I which I. also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which he was betrayed took bread. And when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, Take, eat, this is my body, which is broken for you, this dew in remembrance of me. Same manner he also took the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new covenant in my blood, this dew as often as you drink it in remembrance of me. For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till he comes. Are you demonstrate it? Are you show it? Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself not discerning the Lord’s body. For this reason many are weak and sick among you and many sleep, for if we would judge ourselves we would not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we might not be condemned with the world. Therefore, my brother, when you come together to eat, wait for one another. But if anyone is hungry, let them eat at home, lest you come together for judgment. And the rest I will set in order when I come.“ So clearly here there There was a problem where people were using the Lord’s Supper as a means really to satisfy earthly hunger. They [audio unclear] in terms of what is their motive and what is their attitude toward the Lord’s Supper. Many times in Psalm 119, which we just read, as well as Psalm 19, which is the other key psalm which talks about the word, there’s reference made to things like, Lord, give me light, give me understanding, show me my ways, See if there’s any wicked way in my heart, things of those nature, you know, reflections like that, thoughts like that. In other words, what the psalmist is praying is, God help me examine myself because by myself I cannot see properly. And as I said, I believe last week, self-examination is a lost art in our culture and in our churches today. We do not do this. In some cases we simply don’t do it, in other cases we don’t do it that well. And it’s unfortunate because as David says several times in Psalm 119 and Psalm 19, God gives us His word to guide us, God gives us His word to guide us, but we have to [audio unclear] If we know the word but don’t know the condition of our heart, we don’t know that the word applies to us in a given situation. So if God’s word said, don’t walk over the cliff, I’d say that’s a good word, amen.

But if I don’t realize I’m walking toward the cliff, that word doesn’t help me. So as we read the word, two things are happening. We’re listening to God and we’re seeing, if you will, what God is saying. But that has to be linked to us seeing at the same time how that word relates to where we are at spiritually and how we are living or not living. And that’s where the role of self-examination comes into. Now here’s the thing. I’m going to say two words. The first word is repent and the second word is sin. And I can assure you that many of you had a negative emotion when I said those two words. and you felt it. It’s because you are not hearing right. You’re not hearing those words right. And this is what Jesus is trying to teach us. We have to hear right. And when we’re conditioned by our culture, which we are, we hear certain things in the word and they don’t sound right to us. Now we might say, yeah, they’re true because they’re in the Bible, but they’re really not resonating with us. We’re not hearing them right. And so when people, I’ve had Christians say to my face, you shouldn’t talk about sin because we’re forgiven. And they don’t understand why scripture talks about sin even though we are forgiven. And they say we shouldn’t talk about repentance because you repent when you come to Jesus then you’re done repenting. But that’s because they have a negative view of what repentance means. Repentance is beautiful. Repentance is like that cold drink of water after you just ran a marathon. That’s really what repentance is. It’s the cold shower after mowing the grass. It is refreshment. It is being revived. It is cleansing. It is health. It is beauty. It’s good. So why wouldn’t we hear the word repent? Do we recoil? Because we’re not hearing. We have to learn to be Spirit taught. We’ve got to learn to see what God sees. When God tells us something in His Word, we have to see the Word as God sees the Word. as God meant the word to be communicated to us. And this takes the discipline of reading and. meditating in the word and I and it takes years to renew your mind according to the word. Years of faithful reading the word. But it also takes listening and allowing the Spirit to examine us. The bravest prayer in the Bible is where David says Lord, search me and know me and see if there’s any wicked way in me. Many of us do not pray that prayer because we’re afraid of what God might show us or what God might ask us.

I understand, trust me, I understand. I understand the flesh’s resistance to the ways of God at times. The reluctance to listen when God might speak something we don’t want to hear. I get it, I understand. But resisting is the path of death. It’s spiritual death. It’s spiritual barrenness. It’s the wilderness that the first generation died in. The path to life and fullness and bounty is the path of listening, the path of obedience. Even the word obedience these days, for many years, people doesn’t sound right. The word holiness doesn’t sound right. It sounds legalistic. It sounds judgmental. If we could see holiness the way God did, we would understand that its moral beauty is what it is. It’s beautiful. And I don’t mean just to God. I think when we really see it, it’s beautiful. So God is calling us to a renewed mind, and part of that renewal process is the willingness to examine ourselves. Or should I say, really let God examine us. So as we read the Word today, the Lord may have pressed certain scriptures on you. Well those were given to you as a gift, and you take those scriptures and then You say, Lord, give me more light. Give me more light. And you learn to pray over the Word, and you learn to listen to the Word. Or should I say, you learn to listen to the Holy Spirit teach you the Word. It will begin to show you how the Word applies to your life. He’ll show you areas where you need to change your attitude. He’ll show you sins in your life you need to get rid of. show you paths of duty and obedience where you need to move forward. He will do that for you if you’re willing to listen. So Paul tells us, that’s not a bad thing. It’s not a morbid thing. It’s not an unhealthy thing to do because we need to hear the word in light of where we personally, each individual, where we’re really at.

And that’s what self-examination allows us to do, to evaluate so we see the correlation between the word and my current condition.

Jesus Is Knocking

So we need to ask ourselves a few questions. The first and obvious one is, am I really saved? Am I really saved? Paul even exhorts the Corinthians later in the letter To do this very thing to examine themselves to see if they were in the faith The reason was because their conduct was such that it raised questions in his mind And I think Paul believed that some of them probably were not saved Because of what was going on in the church So we have to examine ourselves, have a truly embraced Christ. The second thing we need to examine ourselves is this, is are we in communion with Jesus Christ? Or as John says, are we walking in the light as He is in the light? To know Christ in a personal way, in many ways that is the, what the supper is designed to show. I mean Paul says it’s designed to proclaim the Lord’s death and that’s true but not just his death as an end in itself because the supper symbolizes not only the broken body the shed blood true but it’s a meal and what is a meal for it’s a time of fellowship right Jesus said in Revelation 3, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock.” Jesus is knocking on your heart. I believe Jesus is knocking on the door of this church. And he’s saying, if, if you’ll let me in. I will come in and I will fellowship with you. You have to let Him in. As my old pastor used to say, Jesus is a gentleman and he’s not going to knock the door down. I’m not sure that’s always true because I feel like sometimes he’s knocked my door down. But be that as it may, we must respond. But notice the initiative is His. Jesus is knocking. Not we’re knocking. Jesus is knocking. So Jesus is knocking on your life. Jesus is knocking on the door of your home, to be Lord of your home. Jesus is knocking on the door of this church: I want to be the Lord of this church, will you let Me in?

There’s only three answers. Yes, no, or maybe. And maybe it’s really no. So now we’re down to two answers. Yes or no. So as Jesus knocks on your heart this morning, as he was knocking through the reading of word were you opening the door or were you closing the door? That’s what we need to examine our hearts about. Do we have an open door to Jesus or do we have a closed door to Jesus?

That’s

Closing Prayer

a good place to stop. I want to pray and then we’re going to take the elements. Lord, I thank You for Your Word. It’s so precious. I thank You for all those today that participated in the service and read the Word and those who prayed. I thank You, Lord, that You’ve spoken to many of us through Your Word. I thank You, God, that You’re giving many a hunger, a renewed hunger for Your Word. Lord, remind us that the more we read Your word the more we want to read your word. That the more we read your word the more you actually revive us through your word. You quicken us through your word and your word creates its own appetite as we meditate upon it. I pray again Lord that we would be a people who truly value your word but I pray Lord that we’d be people that have ears to hear, that we would be listening to you in our daily lives, in the decisions we make, in our homes, our careers, our schooling, our relationships, that we would truly be people that are listening to you through meditating upon your word and being sensitive to your spirit. I ask, Lord, if anyone here today doesn’t know You, that You might show them the mystery of Calvary. That they would understand, Lord, that they are loved by You. That You loved them so much. You became a man. You died on a cross with their sins upon You. That You allowed the Father to judge You in their place. That they might be forgiven. You rose from the dead. You conquered sin. You rose from the dead. conquered death. You rose from the dead. You conquered Satan. And that they can be forgiven. They can have a new life. They can have the Holy Spirit of God dwell in their hearts. They can have a relationship with the everlasting God. And Lord, as we take this bread and wine, may it be a symbol of the true state of our hearts that we are in communion with You. Lord, we We love you and we thank you for all that you’ve done for us. We pray in your name, all God’s people said. So as the Lord leads you, come and take the supper.

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