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March 2, 2022 7:00 am
Today is an introduction to the songs you can think about this as a jet. The songs were going to go through them from Psalm one to Psalm 150 and I am just delighted to be able to do that with you. The book of Psalms comprises 105th storm, each packed with godly wisdom individual is all part of a larger message to teach us what the Christian walk should be aligned and today Don continues teaching wants people. God's word as he begins a jet tour through the songs and overview of this magnificent part of the Bible LOI built like and on the message will be hearing over the next few days is really life-changing stuff is bill. It's easy to study the songs out of context and just taken it occasional Psalm here or there without really seeing how they fit together in the larger picture.
The songs communicate so many things to us about pursuing the righteous life how to persevere through sorrow and confusion to lift our eyes to God and to praise him. I am so excited they were able to bring this series over the next couple of days to a jet tour through the Psalms bill. Let's get started. Thanks Don and Fred have your Bible hand as we join godly right now in the truthful life sometimes turns on decisions that seemed trivial at the time many years ago I went to a Denny's restaurant with people I barely knew. I met Nancy that night in history is told the story since then.
You might say, had no idea what was going to happen that night and it didn't seem like a big deal to go or not to go but I went in the trajectory of my life was changed. Other times you're aware of the great moment and you feel the excitement even though you don't know all the implications of what it will eventually mean you take a new job. The moving truck pulls out of the driveway to the new destination. The boy shows the ring. The mom goes into labor for the first time and you know that the implications of that day that time our great and significant even though you don't know how all of the details will flesh out your conscious of the fact that life is changing today well today is one of those days in the life of our church as we start a new study that is going to transform our lives. That is going to change me and is going to change you, and we will look back on this day, months, years from now and say it all started right then and that is incredibly exciting to me. I have been looking forward to this moment. Over the past many many months to start this series today with a great sense of anticipation, I don't know when I've last been this excited to be in the pulpit before you. We are starting a series today. In the book of Psalms and I invite you to turn to the Psalms with me inviting you as it were, to the transformation that the songs are going to make on our lives. First of all, and secondarily to invite you and hopefully to entice you to whet your appetite for what's going to happen. If you are a Christian who wants to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, I'm telling you, you don't want to miss it because it is going to be a transforming great moments that plays itself out for the rest of life to come.
The Psalms are the life worship book of the Bible and one of the things it makes it so wonderful to study the Psalms is that we see ourselves in them we see ourselves and our joy and our sorrow in our sin, and in our repentance and our trust in our doubts.
The Psalms give inspired voice to our life experiences we seek to walk with Christ. We see ourselves reflected back we see God having given to us a book that speaks and expresses the deepest things of our heart, and not only expresses a bit tells us how to get from point A to point B, to move from sorrow and discouragement to joy and try out, to move from sin to repentance, to move from an earthly perspective to a heavenly perspective and beloved, if you are a born again Christian. That is what you want out of life you want to see Christ you want to have your attention, as it were someone to take her chin and lifted up to look up to see Christ to seek God to see him in his glory, and to transcend this fallen world in which we live today is an introduction to the songs you can think about this as a jet to work through the songs were going to go through them from Psalm one to Psalm 150 today and I am just delighted to be able to do that with you. Trust me, the book of songs. As you know is comprised of 150 individual Psalms and the purpose of the Psalms is to call us to a life of righteousness, of praising and trusting God. That is the purpose of the Psalms they call us to praise the Lord and what you may not be as familiar with in terms of numbers is that the 150 Psalms are divided into five different books of Psalms that were written over a period of 900 years and then compiled into a final form in which we receive them today. Moses wrote Psalm 90 about 1400 years before the time of Christ. 400 years later, King David came on the scene and wrote songs about 73, almost half of the Psalms are ascribed to David in one manner or another 400 years later, after Moses wrote Psalm his song for 500 years after David in the Babylonian exile us almost penned Psalm 137 and express the sorrow of the exile Moses in 1400 in exile in the sixth century all over the course of 900 years. The Psalms were written and as you read the Psalms as you study the Psalms or something striking there something very interesting when you step back and look at that fact, the Psalms, as we have them today are not arranged in a chronological fashion. Psalm one is not the oldest Psalm Psalm 150 is not the newest song they have been arranged somehow and at the same time as were going to see the day. The Psalms are not just thrown together either.
It's not a haphazard collection black somebody shuffle the deck of cards and then whatever came up as Eric picture card will start with this first one. It's not like that at all.
Were going to see today what I want you to learn today is that the very way that the entire book of Psalms is constructed is entitled to teach us. It's more than just what one individual Psalms says to us as important and is inspired is that is the very way that they are arranged probably by Ezra.
It was is designed to communicate, to teach and to instruct us and that's what I want to show you here today. Psalms is a big big book and there is a movement there is a broad structure there to that book and that structure is designed to teach us and beloved what I want you to see more than anything.
Today is the very way that the Psalms are structured is designed to frame your entire disposition toward life. It is designed to bring you to a point where you consciously enter into you consciously enter into a mindset that says this is the kind of life I am going to pursue it consciously teaches you that about the nature of the ebb and flow of spiritual life and then it brings you to a climax which is designed to be the defining emphasis of everything that you do from beginning to end. The Psalms are designed to teach us what are they designed to teach as well as five books and so what were going to do is were going to have five points to this message. What did the Psalms, teach us to do were the Psalms designed to lead us. First of all, in a most profound way that has eternal ramifications for every one of us. The Psalms tell us. Point number one pursue the righteous life pursue the righteous life. Psalm one is the opening song and that is exactly what it teaches us to do. In fact, Psalm one and Psalm to stand like pillars that guard the entrance to the entire 150 Psalms and they say you must enter through this date, you must come to the Psalms through here. The very way that there structured frame. The way that we are to approach life. Psalm one and Psalm two. Contrast the way of the righteous in the way of the wicked, and then they exhort us to pursue the life that leads to blessing to read the text to someone in just a moment. You see beloved. This is really hard for most people to do is to step back from life, to disengage from the circumstances that engage your attention right at the moment to disengage and say what's the big purpose of being here. What is the purpose of life. What am I supposed to do during my time on earth will look that question is not answered by the kind of job that you have is not answered by whether you're happy or sad today is not answered by the kind of family you have or don't have today, there is a more fundamental proposition that confronts us as we enter into the Psalms.
That is, what kind of person are you going to be what is going to be the center defining focus. The center defining allegiance and affection of your heart.
No matter what those other things might be Psalm one calls you to think at that transcendent level and says you're not righteous if you know righteous, not in the sense of being saved righteous in the sense of pursuing the life that God blesses that's what we see when we come to Psalm one. It is pro found Psalm one verse one. How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord and in his law he meditates day and night. He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water which yields its fruit in its season and its leaf does not wither and in whatever he does, he prospers. Not so the wicked, they are like chaff which the wind drives away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous for the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.
For now, were simply introducing the entire Psalter. But what this song says what he calls us to what it grabs you, as it were by that the lapel of your coat and calls you to attention and says boycott pay attention. This is the most profound importance calls us to love the word of God.
It says the distinguishing mark between those who are righteous and those who are wicked those who will be blessed and those who will not be blessed.
The distinguishing mark of those who will stand with the assembly of the righteous forever, and those who will be judged forever.
The distinguishing mark of all of that in all cultures.
Overall time over every circumstance of life. The distinguishing mark is what do you say in response to the word of God, do you orient your life to God's word or not.
That is the simple and yet profound defining mark of what distinguishes who receives the blessing of God and who is blown away in judgment, profound strike to resting to realize to realize that this book that you hold on your lap or perhaps view on your iPad screen. This book is the distinguishing mark that is going to separate humanity into one of two classes, the righteous delight in this book. Everyone else doesn't, and is labeled as wicked and destined for judgment and it says and it says that song Psalm one the entire song beckons you and says be wise and devote yourself to this book, the righteous are blessed because they love the word and God will protect the righteous because he knows their way intimately. He protects he provides for his people who love his word and he will judge everyone who turns away and spits upon his word and says I want nothing to do with it. I'm not interested. I got other things to do. From the very get-go the book of Psalms helps us realize that were at a crossroads were at a fork in the road, will you love this book day and night or not.
And understand that there are consequences to your answer. All you young people you young people starting right at the start of life. This is your opportunity. This is your opportunity to say I'm going to devote my life a little pursue that book. I'm going to read a little love it. I'm good to know what day and night. It's going to be the focus of my mind and my affections because I want that blessing from God, and I fear him enough not to trivialize with his morning that says the wicked are going to be like chaff that the wind drives away the wicked will not stand in judgment. Sinners won't stand in the assembly of the righteous cause behind the authority of this word is the Lord who wrote it and he intends his word to be taken seriously. So brothers and sisters, young and old moms and dads, boys and girls, all of us under the umbrella of the call of this song that says pursue blessing pursue a serious, mindful love of the word of God and recognize that there are eternal dark consequences if you don't. This blessed book of Psalms right from the very beginning, tells us that here is how you must define your life and warns you that here are the consequences if you don't anyone who read Psalm one has no excuse it's profound. It tells us to pursue the righteous life now. What is the defining attribute of life will song to look at the end of Psalm two verse 11.
What are we to do with this.
How are we to respond worship the Lord with reverence and rejoice with trembling due homage to the son that he not become angry, and you perish in the way for his wrath may soon be kindled.
How blessed are all who take refuge in him. See this word of God leads you to a person it leads you to the sun and calls you to love him to take your refuge in him. Not only your refuge in the storms of life.
But take your spiritual refuge in him turned to the sun that you might be saved. Find your refuge are all your rock your fortress in this, one of whom this book speaks you see the Bible is a living book living and active. Sharper than any two-edged sword, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. It's a living book in that not only as you read it.
It exposes the thoughts and and directions of your mind and your motivations and all of that and humbles you under the weight of sin.
It goes beyond that and point you to a living person and it takes you as a man, it takes you as a woman and says honor this book. Read and meditate on this book and realize that this book takes you to a person to whom you are to bend the knee pursue the righteous life. Meditate on this book and you'll find it leading you to a person and so notice this look up at Psalm 11 again, notice the way that these two Psalms frame the proclamation of blessing upon a man who embraces this Psalm one verse one. How blessed is the man look at how it ends in Psalm two, verse 12. How blessed are all who take refuge in him. My friends the invitation goes out to every one of you to receive this kind of blessing this life is available to anyone, not to a spiritually elite. It's not reserved for pastors or two theologians. This is open to you in your daily life is open to you.
God invites you. God calls you to this kind of life where you can know for certain that your life will not be wasted. Whether your life goes longer. Your life goes short, you can know for certain that you are pursuing the path of meaning of blessing of purpose as defined by your creator himself as a gracious gift that's a gracious invitation. Isn't it why would you turn away from what what what possible excuse. Could there be for a man to decline that pursue the righteous life. What's the outcome will go to the end of book 1 of the songs, which is at the end of Psalm 41 and as you look in your Bibles maybe you have maybe you haven't notice these book divisions. Most of your printed Bibles are going to show this. Some of the electronic applications don't show the book divisions. But as you flash forward to the to the end of book 1, Psalm 41.
Notice the way that it ends.
Psalm 41 verse 13.
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Amen and amen. Blessed be the Lord who is the God of his people. Blessed be the Lord who blesses those who pursue righteousness and if you think about it is as hinges. Maybe between these books. Book 1 book 2 book 3 book 4 book 5 what you're going to find and I'm gonna show you is that every book ends with a doxology, a statement of praise to God, and that is not by accident. This was the deliberate design of the final compiler of the Psalms that as he walks you through each section of thought. Each section of meditation that you would come full circle that you would conclude that this meditation ends on the thought that I give praise and worship to God as you pursue the righteous life as you make a conscious decision in your mind either to reinforce to recommit yourself to a prior commitment to the word of God that you've already made you say yes that is what I chosen, but I'm gonna be fresh on this.
Now I'm going to renew my allegiance. I'm going to reestablish my appreciation for the word of God and pursue that as I pursue the righteous life Scripture promises you the blessing of God that you will stand like a three you will stand like a a a long-established oak and side-by-side with that says if you turn away from this kind of invitation you're going to be like dust that just tossed up in the air, the wind blows away and there's not going to be anything left to show you at the end, blessing, great ruin. How will you respond.
Psalms says when you pursue the righteous life. Your conclusion is going to be what's expressed in Psalm 41 verse 13 Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Amen and amen some of you have come out of that kind of teaching that says if only you have enough faith, your life will go well. You'll experience good health, your family will go the way that you want.
You will have everything that you could possibly want in this earthly life in the approved version of spiritual life that represents is is that that if you just put in your nickel of faith God will spit out the blessings that you want, that's a lie from hell.
Just be real clear and distinct about the righteous life that is the first of five principles. Pastor Don Greene is addressing in his current series, a jet tour through the Psalms you know when you base your life on the word of God, you are assured of blessing in this life, and then eternal life with Christ. Afterward, Don will present the next two principles in part two of this series. Next time we hope you will be with us here on the truth pulpit will done. While this radio broadcast is a valuable tool to help increase biblical understanding. We have other great tools available to don't wait that's right Bill, we do friend.
We want to do everything we can to help you receive God's word into your life and so there's a lot of resources available for you to take advantage of on our website. We broadcast our church services, Sunday and Tuesday over our live stream all of my weekly sermons are available for easy access via our podcast and there are also free study guides for some messages to help you or your church group study God's word on your own.
You can find all of those things when you go to the place the bills going to point you to right now. Thanks, Don, and friend.
We invite you to visit the truth. Pulpit.com and follow the links. That's the truth.
Pulpit.com. By the way, you'll also find information about church services at truth Community Church. If you're in the Cincinnati area love to meet you again visit the truth. Pulpit.com for all the ideal right inviting you back next time. As Don Greene continues teaching God's people.
God's word here on the truthful