Sermons

From Creation to Redemption

In the beginning, God's Word went forth: "Let there be light" (Gen 1:3). The Spirit of God hovering over the face of the deep joined Himself to that Word with explosive, creative effect. And the universe was born.  As it was with creation, so it is now with redemption--God's new creation in Christ (2 Cor 4:6). God's Word is preached and, when it is accompanied by the power of His Spirit, man is born again. Sinners are saved and saints are strengthened, all by His grace and all for His glory (cf. Gal 3:1-6; Act 20:32). May God be pleased to use these sermons in your life to this end!

Subscribe to Mercy Hill's podcast to stay up to date with our latest sermons and listen while on the go.

back to list

Nurturing Passion to Obey God

Date:3/9/14

Series: Psalm 119 Nurturing Passion For God

Passage: Psalms 119:57-64

Speaker: Steve Fuller

Nurturing Passion to Obey God

Psalm 119:57-64

I’d like to start by having each of you think about this question: How passionate are you about obeying God?

There is a God, who created this massive universe, and who created you. He has shown us who he is through Creation, and through how he cared for the nation of Israel. But even more clearly than that – he has come to earth himself in the person of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, fully God and fully man. So we can know beyond a shadow of a doubt that there is a God who is infinitely powerful, flawlessly wise, perfectly just, and passionately loving.

And God has clearly communicated with us by giving us his book -- the Bible. And part of the Bible is commands which he wants us to obey. So how passionate are you about obeying God’s commands?

Think about these commands – and ask yourself how passionate you are about obeying them –

  • Ephesians 4:32 -- Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other.
  • Matthew 28:19 -- Go into all the world and make disciples.
  • Joshua 1:8 – Meditate on the Word of God.
  • 1 Peter 4:7 – Be devoted to prayer
  • Ephesians 5:25 – Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the church and laid down his life for her.
  • Ephesians 5:22 – Wives, submit to your husbands.
  • Ephesians 6:1 – Children, obey your parents.
  • Heb 10:25 – do not neglect to meet together

These are commands given to us by the Creator of the Universe. So how passionate are you about obeying God?

I am praying that God will use his Word to give each of us a fresh passion to obey God’s word. So let’s turn to Psalm 119: 57-64. If you need a Bible, go ahead and raise your hand and we will bring one to you. Psalm 119 is on page 513 in the Bibles we are passing out.

In these eight verses we see that the author is passionate about obeying God’s Word. Let’s read vv.57-64 --

57            The LORD is my portion; I promise to keep your words.

58            I entreat your favor with all my heart; be gracious to me according to your promise.

59            When I think on my ways, I turn my feet to your testimonies;

60            I hasten and do not delay to keep your commandments.

61            Though the cords of the wicked ensnare me, I do not forget your law.

62            At midnight I rise to praise you, because of your righteous rules.

63            I am a companion of all who fear you, of those who keep your precepts.

64            The earth, O LORD, is full of your steadfast love; teach me your statutes!

Right in that first verse we can see how passionate he is about obeying God. Read it again --

57            The LORD is my portion; I promise to keep your words.

He promises to keep God’s Words. That does not mean he’s promising to never sin; he knows that’s not possible. But he’s telling God – I’m all in. I’m not clinging to any sin. I’m saying Yes to all your commands. I promise to keep your words.

Have you ever said that to God? I promise to keep your words.

So the author is passionate about obeying God. But why? Why is he so passionate about obeying God?

The reason is right there in v.57. Let’s read it again --

57            The LORD is my portion; I promise to keep your words.

What does it mean that God is his portion? It means that God is everything he needs. It means that God is so great, so glorious, so majestic – that when he has God he needs nothing else. That’s what it means that God is his portion.

But what does that have to do with the rest of the verse? Let’s read the whole verse again –

57            The LORD is my portion; I promise to keep your words.

I think the point is that because he knows God is his portion, therefore he promises to keep God’s Words, because it’s when you are in the path of keeping God’s Words that you experience God as your portion.

We always have before us two different paths in which we can walk. There is the path of disobeying God’s commands. And there is the path of obeying God’s commands.

And the reason we want to walk in the path of obeying God is because that’s the path where God is – and as we walk on that path we enjoy sweet fellowship with God.

But when we turn from that path, and stop obeying God, we will not have sweet fellowship with God.

So why is he so passionate about obeying God? It’s because he knows that if he keeps God’s Word – he will enjoy God as his portion. And if we keep God’s Word – we will enjoy God as our portion.

But at this point, some of you are thinking – that’s hopeless. Because I’ve tried to obey God, I’ve tried and failed. There’s no way I can consistently walk on that path and enjoy God as my portion. But for those of you who are feeling hopeless, the author gives us good news.

To see why, let’s ask this next question – Why isn’t he hopeless about his sin? The answer is in v.58 –

58            I entreat [or: ask for] your favor with all my heart; be gracious to me according to your promise.

So why is he asking for God’s favor, and asking God to be gracious to him?

The answer is in the next verse – verse 59 --

59            When I think on my ways, I turn my feet to your testimonies;

So he’s thinking on his ways, and his response to that is to turn his feet to God’s testimonies. I think that shows that when he thinks on his ways, he sees some areas in which his feet have NOT been turned to God’s testimonies. Which is why he has to turn his feet to God’s testimonies.

So – since he has NOT been walking in God’s testimonies – I think the prayer for God’s favor is a prayer for God’s forgiveness of his sin, and for God’s enablement to help him obey.

Here’s why this is so crucial. The truth is that none of us by our own power can keep any of God’s commands. Because God doesn’t just command random acts of kindness, or that give some money to the homeless. No – we can all do that.

But what God commands is that we love him with all our heart, soul, mind and strength – and to be so filled with God that we give ourselves to sacrificial, costly lives of love – to relieve suffering everywhere we find it – especially eternal suffering.

But because of our sin – we don’t love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. We love pizza and video games and achievement and mountain biking. And so our sin leaves us guilty before God, and hopeless about obeying.

The truth is that if all we have is God’s commands – it is hopeless. We have sinned, we will continue to sin, and so by ourselves we will never have God as our portion. Instead, we will face God’s judgment forever.

That’s why we can’t stop with v.57. We have to move to v.58, and join the author in asking God’s favor to forgive us for our sin, and to enable us to obey.

And the reason God can forgive us and enable us to obey – is because of what Jesus Christ did on the Cross. When Jesus died on the Cross, he paid for sin’s guilt and broke sin’s power.

And so when we own up to our sinfulness, and cast ourselves before Jesus Christ, trusting him, and pleading for his mercy, everything changes.

  • God forgives all our sin, past, present, and future.
  • God fills our hearts with himself – so we are filled with joy in him, and empowered to live sacrificial lives of love.
  • God mercifully promises to keep forgiving our sin, as we sincerely confess.
  • And – God promises to give us all the power we need to obey him.

So it’s not hopeless! So when we understand v.57 – that God is our portion – and v.58 – that God will forgive and enable us – we will have an explosion of passion to obey God.

Think of it as a formula: PORTION + FORGIVENESS + ENABLEMENT = PASSION

Let’s take forgiveness as an example. Let’s say there is someone who has hurt you deeply, against whom you have resentment and bitterness. Clearly, you have not forgiven them.

You know that in his Word God commands you to forgive others, as Christ has forgiven us. But you have tried. You have tried, and failed. And so you feel guilty, you feel far from God, you feel hopeless. And you are no longer passionate about obeying God, and you are not experiencing God as your portion.

So what can you do? First, understand that God is your portion. Fellowshipping with God will satisfy you far more than nurturing a grudge. But as long as you walk on this path of bitterness – you won’t have fellowship with God. So let that stir in your heart a longing to forgive.

Second, understand that God promises forgiveness. So don’t let your sin of unforgiveness make you stand away from God. Pray v.58 for forgiveness – I entreat your favor with all my heart – forgive me, be gracious to me. Forgive me for my sin. I see that it’s wrong. Don’t hold my sin against me.

And – understand that if you try to forgive again, and fail again – God will forgive you again. And again. And again. Because God promises forgiveness.

Third, understand that God promises enablement.Don’t be discouraged that you can’t obey by your own power – none of us can! But God promises to enable you to obey by his power. So pray v.58 for enablement – I entreat your favor with all my heart – help me obey. Change my heart. Fill my heart with your love. I promise you – as you pray that – God will enable you to obey.

So PORTION + FORGIVENESS + ENABLEMENT = PASSION

And then in vv.59-64 we have six ways these truths affect him – and us. Let’s use this question to focus our thinking -- what results from believing this truth?

First, he looks honestly at his life, and turns his feet to God’s testimonies. That’s in v.59 –

59            When I think on my ways, I turn my feet to your testimonies;

It can be painful to look honestly at your life. When you see that you lack bold witness, or Bible reading, or patience – you can feel hopeless. You can have a pity party of guilt.

But wait. Understand -- PORTION + FORGIVENESS + ENABLEMENT = PASSION. When you understand that you will turn your feet to God’s testimonies.

Second, he hurries to obey. That’s in v.60 –

60            I hasten and do not delay to keep your commandments.

It’s easy to deceive ourselves and say – We’ll obey, tomorrow. But if we understand PORTION + FORGIVENESS + ENABLEMENT we will not put off obeying. We will hasten to obey.

Third, he obeys no matter what the cost. That’s in v.61 --

61            Though the cords of the wicked ensnare me, I do not forget your law.

Even though obeying God’s law means I end up tied up by wicked people – I will not forget God’s law. Why? It’s because he understands PORTION + FORGIVENESS + ENABLEMENT = PASSION – especially the portion part of it.

  • If obeying God and speaking of Christ costs you relationships – that’s OK, because God is your portion.
  • If obeying God and being honest costs your job – that’s OK, because God is your portion.
  • If obeying God and staying with your spouse costs pain and heartache – that’s OK, because God is your portion.

Fourth, he praises God all the time. That’s in v.62 –

62            At midnight I rise to praise you, because of your righteous rules.

Because God is his portion, because he knows God forgives, because he knows God enables -- he’s not oppressed, guilty, fearful. He’s joyful, free, and worshiping God – even rising at midnight to praise God.

Fifth, he loves those who keep God’s word. That’s in v.63 --

63            I am a companion of all who fear you, of those who keep your precepts.

When you trust God as your portion, your forgiveness, your enabler -- you will be passionate about obeying God.

And when you are passionate about obeying God, you will love others who are passionate about obeying God – because they will encourage you, you can encourage them, and all of your joy in God will increase. That’s what our home groups are all about.

Sixth, he looks to God’s grace more than to his own obedience. It’s crucial that we be passionate about obeying God. But what sustains that passion is not looking at ourselves and what we are doing. It’s sustained by looking at God and his grace in Jesus Christ and what he promises to do for us.

That’s what I see in v.64 --

64            The earth, O LORD, is full of your steadfast love; teach me your statutes!

God is so gracious that the earth is full of his steadfast love. So it’s God who will be his portion, it’s God who will forgive him when he stumbles, it’s God who will enable him to obey.

And when he sees God’s steadfast love – he is passionate to obey, and so he prays – teach me your statutes!

So look to God’s grace more than to your own obedience.

Questions?

Ask yourself – how passionate are you about obeying God?

Pick one area in which you have not been passionate about obeying. Maybe it’s prayer, or Bible-reading. Maybe it’s connecting with other believers, or being a bold witness.

Pick one area – and remember –

  • God is your portion.
  • God provides forgiveness.
  • God promises enablement.

PORTION + FORGIVENESS + ENABLEMENT = PASSION

See who God is in Christ – and be passionate about obeying God.