Weekly Sermon
This sermon is a companion to four previous sermons: In the Way of This Life - Psalm 119:1
In the Ways of Our Lord (Part 1) - Psalm 119:3
In the Ways of Our Lord (Part 2) - Psalm 119:3
In the Ways of Our Lord (Part 3) - Psalm 119:3
Psalm 119:1-3 reads, “Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD. Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart. They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways.”
In Psalm 119 we encounter the words “way” and “ways” eighteen times and the word “path” two times, indicating that the pathway of our lives is an important subject of this psalm. With the phrase “in the way,” Psalm 119:1 introduces us to the first category of truth concerning this subject matter – the way of this life. Thereby we learn that we all must travel along the pathway of this life, and that we all must deal with the matter of challenges, choices, and consequences in the way of this life.
With the phrase “in his way,” Psalm 119:3 introduces us to the second category of truth concerning our walk along the pathway of life – the way of our Lord. Even so, the intention of Psalm 119 is to exhort us and encourage us to choose this particular way, the way of our Lord, as the direction of our daily walk along each step of the way as we face life’s many different challenges. In addition, Psalm 119:1-3 reveals that the consequence for choosing the way of our Lord as the particular direction for our daily walk is that our Lord’s favor and blessing will be poured out upon our lives. So then, what is involved for us to follow the way of our Lord step by step in our daily walk? In the first three parts of this message, we considered the first six of the nine elements that are revealed in Psalm 119. They were the need for determination, the need for conviction, the need for passion, the need for education, and the need for adoration, and the need for meditation. In this fourth part of the message, let us consider the final three of these elements.
This sermon is a companion to four previous sermons: In the Way of This Life - Psalm 119:1
In the Ways of Our Lord (Part 1) - Psalm 119:3
In the Ways of Our Lord (Part 2) - Psalm 119:3
In the Ways of Our Lord (Part 3) - Psalm 119:3
Psalm 119:1-3 reads, “Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD. Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart. They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways.”
In Psalm 119 we encounter the words “way” and “ways” eighteen times and the word “path” two times, indicating that the pathway of our lives is an important subject of this psalm. With the phrase “in the way,” Psalm 119:1 introduces us to the first category of truth concerning this subject matter – the way of this life. Thereby we learn that we all must travel along the pathway of this life, and that we all must deal with the matter of challenges, choices, and consequences in the way of this life.
With the phrase “in his way,” Psalm 119:3 introduces us to the second category of truth concerning our walk along the pathway of life – the way of our Lord. Even so, the intention of Psalm 119 is to exhort us and encourage us to choose this particular way, the way of our Lord, as the direction of our daily walk along each step of the way as we face life’s many different challenges. In addition, Psalm 119:1-3 reveals that the consequence for choosing the way of our Lord as the particular direction for our daily walk is that our Lord’s favor and blessing will be poured out upon our lives. So then, what is involved for us to follow the way of our Lord step by step in our daily walk? In the first three parts of this message, we considered the first six of the nine elements that are revealed in Psalm 119. They were the need for determination, the need for conviction, the need for passion, the need for education, and the need for adoration, and the need for meditation. In this fourth part of the message, let us consider the final three of these elements.
The Need for Transformation
In Psalm 119:35-37 the psalmist made request unto the Lord, saying, “Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; for therein do I delight. Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness. Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken thou me in thy way.” Through all the previous elements, the psalmist had an intentional objective. Through his determined choice, his deep conviction, his driving passion, his desired education, his delighting adoration, and his daily meditation, the psalmist had the objective of spiritual transformation. He intended and requested of the Lord that the character of his heart might be transformed unto a clean heart, so that his heart might be inclined after the Lord’s Word and and might be quickened (or, revived) unto the Lord’s way. He intended and requested of the Lord that the spirit of his mind might be transformed unto a right spirit, so that his spirit might be made to go after the way of righteousness and might be turned away from the way of unrighteousness.
Even so, if we would walk faithfully after the way of our Lord, we must be transformed in the character of our hearts. Our hearts are not naturally inclined after our Lord’s Word and way. By nature we are selfish, in contradiction to our Lord’s way, and sinful, in contradiction to our Lord’s Word. Spiritual foolishness is bound in our hearts from the beginning. Even as the children of God by spiritual new birth, we retain the principle of selfishness and sinfulness within us. Even in us (that is – in our flesh), there dwells no good thing. Therefore, to walk faithfully after our Lord’s way, we need renewing in the spirit of our minds and transforming in the character of our hearts; and this is just what the truth of God’s Word will do in us. It will deliver us from the corruption of our carnality, and it will convert us unto the character of Christ-likeness. Thereby we may grow unto spiritual maturity in the grace of God and in the knowledge of Christ. Thereby we may grow up into Christ, “unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:13-15). Yea, this spiritual transforming of our heart-character will occur as we maintain our determined choice for our Lord’s way, our deep conviction in our Lord’s Word, our driving passion unto wholehearted obedience, our desired education through our Lord’s direction, our delighting adoration of our Lord’s truth, and our daily meditation in our Lord’s wisdom. Yet in order for this spiritual transformation to be effective, it must be inseparably joined with another element.
The Need for Rejection
In Psalm 119:1-3 the blessing is proclaimed, “Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD. Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart. They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways.” Herein we learn that our Lord’s favor and blessing is poured out upon those who remain undefiled in the way of their daily walk. It is poured out upon those who refrain from doing iniquity. It is poured out upon those who distinctly resist temptation to sin and reject the ways of unrighteousness. In order for spiritual transformation to take hold in the character of our hearts, it must be accompanied with the rejection of sinful desires, direction, and doings. Not only must we be transformed by the renewing of our mind, but also we must not be conformed to this world (Romans 12:2).
Even so, Psalm 1:1-3 declares, “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.” Not only must we desire and delight in the truth and wisdom of God’s Word, but also we must put away all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, “perfecting holiness in the fear of God” (1 Peter 2:1-2; James 1:21; 2 Corinthians 7:1). We must hide the truth and wisdom of our Lord’s Word in our hearts, specifically that we might not commit sinful iniquity against Him (Psalm 119:11). We must refrain our feet from every way of sin and unrighteousness, specifically that we might obey our Lord’s Word and follow His way (Psalm 119:101). We must seek for our Lord to order our steps in His Word and way, and to keep any sinful iniquity from having dominion over the character of our hearts. Indeed, transformation unto spiritual maturity requires rejection of sinful iniquity. Yet in order to walk faithfully after our Lord’s way, one final element is needed.
The Need for Continuation
Again in Psalm 119:1-3 the blessing is proclaimed, “Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD. Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart. They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways.” The closing line of verse 3 indicates that our Lord’s favor and blessing is poured out upon those who walk in His ways (plural), step after step after step, way after way after way. To walk in our Lord’s way faithfully, we must maintain a deliberate continuation therein. We must deliberately continue in our determined choice for our Lord’s way. We must deliberately continue in our deep conviction in our Lord’s Word. We must deliberately continue in our driving passion unto wholehearted obedience. We must deliberately continue in our desired education through our Lord’s direction. We must deliberately continue in our delighting adoration of our Lord’s truth. We must deliberately continue in our daily meditation upon our Lord’s wisdom. We must deliberately continue in the divine transformation of our heart’s character. We must deliberately continue in our distinct rejection of sinful iniquity.
Posted in Weekly Sermon, Psalms, Walk in Righteousness, Word of God, Spiritual Growth, Separation, Faithfulness
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