Sermon:  The Language of God

 

Summary:  The infinite creator and God has revealed himself from the beginning in such a way that he has continued to draw closer so that we can be reconciled and know him to honor, serve, and love him.

 

Text:  Psalm 19

 

Scripture Reading:  1 Tim 1:15-17

 

Intro:

1.  Ever encounter someone from a different culture or language?

            a.  At times it can be difficult to fully communicate

            b.  Even if someone had studied the language, some things are lost in

                 translation

                        - Those two are cut from the same cloth

                        - The word, "spin" in politics

                        - "Break a Log"

            c. German lady told me - the English they learned was "Oxford" English

                        - They don't learn "American"

                        - Wasn't until immersed in American culture she learn American

            d.  During foreign campaign, had interpreters to close language gap

                        - One guy in our group had two interpreters

                        - Used to joke, one to translate "Okie" the other for English

2.  Think - Gap between use and God much more bigger than this

            a.  Not just a language gap

            b.  God is infinite, we are finite

            c.  God is the creator, we are the creature

            d.  Would be like an ant trying to comprehend humanity

3.  If God wants to be known, how is he going to communitate?

            a.  Not directly, he is too powerful and infinite

            b.  Would be like running a million watts of power into our phones to

                 communicate. 

                        - We would get electrocuted

                        - No one can see God directly and live

            c.  Would need filters and converters

            d.  In a sense, God has provided filters and converters for us

4.  (Psalm 19) Is about God's language

            a.  In this Psalm, shows God communicated in two ways

                        - Through his creation itself

                        - Through his word, the Torah

            b.  Another way hadn't happened yet when Psalm was written, Jesus

            c.  Each way progressively gets clearer and clearer to us

                        - God holds us responsible for what he has communicated

            d.  Read the Psalm, and lets look at ways he has communicated

 

I.  Through His Created Order

            A.  God makes himself known through what he has created

            B.  First part of this Psalm highlights how God has done this

                        1.  The creation declares its maker

                                    a.  The Heaven and firmament declare God's glory

                                    b.  Each day pours forth speech, each night knowledge

                                    c.  There is no speech or language, it is not audible

                                                - This is voiceless speech, there is no sound

                                                - Creation's song is not like our song

                                                - Creations song declares God loudly without words

                                    d.  Their line has gone out through the whole world

                                                - "Line" is a measuring line, or a plumb line

                                                - Everything is measured, or judged by the line

                                                - Indicates God holds people responsible for his

                                                   voiceless communication

                        2.  (Rom 1:18-20) Similar - God made self known through creation

                                    a.  His invisible attributes

                                                - He is all wise

                                                - The incredible engineering of universe

                                                            = Earth just the right distance for life from sun

                                                            = Weight of proton in proportion to electrons

                                                               are just right to support life

                                                            = DNA of a human is sequenced just right for

                                                               us to exist.  More info in DNA than Windows

                                    b.  His eternal power

                                                - How much power to create the universe?

                                                - Sun produces 386 billion million gigawatts power

                                                            = A large nuclear reactor produces 1 gigawatt

                                    c.  His divine nature

                                                - Know that he is gracious - rains on just and unjust

                                                - Know that he is righteous - every created human is a

                                                  moral being, points to a moral creator

                                    d.  Can know God from creation to be without excuse

                                                - Can't say, "I didn't know God existed"

                                                - Can't say, "I didn't know anything about God"

                                                - God holds all people responsible

                                                            = Not according to what they not know - Bible

                                                            = But according to what they know - creation

                                                - If not acknowledge God and give thanks, God holds

                                                   people responsible

                        3.  God does not hide himself from the world

                                    a.  Acts 17:27 - Paul said to pagans on Mars hill that God is

                                         not far from each one of us

                                    b.  You don't have to go very far to know something of God

            C.  ILL:  It is like looking at various works of art by an artist

                        1.  You can tell something about the artist from their work

                                    a.  One can look at a Picasso and recognize it

                                    b.  Can tell something about what he was passionate about

                                         and what he believed in

                        2.  In a similar was God made himself known through his handiwork

                                    a.  He is a God of order, not confusion, of variety & harmony

                                    b.  God values what is good and beautiful

                                    c.  God is powerful, capable of violence, passionate

                                    d.  Is just and righteous, as can be seen in moral impulse of

                                        humans

                                    e.  God is merciful, it rains on just and unjust

            D.  God has made himself known through creation

                        1.  He holds people accountable for this revelation through creation

                                    a.  Even though amount you can know is limited

                                    b.  God still holds human accountable for it

                        2.  His revelation through nature is like archaeology

                                    a.  You are limited in the amount of information you get

                                    b.  Pottery, buildings, tools, etc. yield bits of information

                        3.  Greatest archaeological treasure - Inscriptions, manuscripts

                                    a.  When find something in writing, can know so much more

                                    b.  Brings us to our next point

 

II.  (v.7-14) Through His Instruction

            A.  God revealed himself through his instruction

                        1.  Law is from Hebrew "Torah" and means instruction

                                    a.  Consider, the Torah is the first five books

                                    b.  Consider the character of those books

                                                - Not just a list of dos and don'ts

                                                - It also gives historical accounts behind the law

                                                - Gives instructions about how to live

                                                - Records God's interaction with his people

                        2.  In poetic lines, it describes the many ways God's word is

                                    a.  It is Torah or the Lord

                                    b.  Testimony, it is precepts, commandment, fear

                                    c.  Ordinance/judgment of the Lord, his pronouncement

                        3.  God communicated in language in various ways

            B.  Psalmist's song praises the goodness of God's word in poetic lines

                        1.  It is perfect, sure, true, sound, reliable

                                    a.  God's word is always right

                                    b.  God's word is always reliable

                                    c.  What more reliable than word of creator and designer?

                        2.  It brings us back to God - "restores the soul"

                                    a.  Restore is "shuv" the Hebrew word for repent or returning

                                    b.  God's word returns the soul to God

                                    c.  Saying it is what brings us back to God

                        3.  It makes you wise

                                    a.  Makes wise the simple, enlightens the eyes - teaches

                                    b.   Ps 119:98-99  - Word makes one wiser than his enemies

                                          and teachers

                                    c. It warns of danger - Enables you to be discerning of good

                                         and bad

                        4.  Word of God is pleasing or delightful

                                    a.  It rejoices the heart - gives joy to your heard

                                    b.  More desirable than gold, or jewels, diamonds . . .

                                    c.  Sweeter than honey, than chocolate, ice cream . . .

            C.  ILL:  Is the sweetest thing the word of God to you?  If not, then what?

                        1.  I am convinced that the word of God is acquired taste

                        2.  One way of getting to this point is discipleship triads/groups

                                    a.  Talked about this in one of our summer series

                                    b.  Simple plan

                                                - Read the word, not a substitute for the word

                                                - Read a lot, 25 to 30 chapters a week, gain appetite

                                                - Read together with others

                                                - Pray and practice accountability together

                                    c.  God gradually transforms your life

                                                - Your attitude, character, passions, goals

                                                - Change marriage, work, parenting, etc.

                                                - Nothing is sweeter and more delightful than the word

                                    d.  Too simple? - But Word of God makes wise the simple!

                        3.  Justin - New Christian, met weekly

                                    a.  Had a lot of talks, I suggested he read the Bible regularly

                                    b.  Gain an insatiable appetite for reading God's word

                                    c.  Overnight, he transformed.  I was amazed

                                    d.  He was a different person

            D.  God reveals himself through his written word

                        1.  Revelation of nature is somewhat limited

                        2.  But through his written word, men knew God much better

                        3.  But, need to keep in mind, the written word is the road map

                                    a.  It is not the destination, but points to the destination

                                    b.  Road map anticipates Jesus, he is the destination

                                    c.  Don't want to focus so much on road map, we forget the

                                         destination - Pharisees did this

                        4.  Brings us to our final point

 

III.  God reveals himself through Jesus

            A.  God came down personally through Christ and revealed himself

            B.  The clearest revelation of God is through the incarnation

                        1.  Incarnation (means "becoming flesh") from John 1:14-18

                                    a.  Word of God did not become more words

                                    b.  Word of God becomes human, Jesus

                                    c.  v.18 - He has "explained" or "interpreted" God

                                    d.  Best way is to do so face to face

                        2.  (Heb 1:1-3) Has a similar message

                                    a.  In the past, God spoke in many portions and many ways

                                                - Through the created order

                                                - Through his written word

                                                - Through the prophets, through dreams, etc.

                                    b.  Now, the ultimate revelation is in His Son

                                    c.  Jesus is God ultimate and final word to the world

                        3.  To know God, we look to Jesus himself, he is God in the flesh

                                    a.  Jn 8:19; 14:7 - If we know Jesus, we know the Father

                                    b.  Jesus is God in the flesh

                                    c.  Jesus' character, his passions, teachings, actions, are not

                                         just his, but his Father's - God's

                                    d.  If we know Christ, we know God

            C.  ILL:  This time of year, many reminders about Jesus come into world

                        1.  Nativity scenes, Jesus in a manger.  Feeling of peace

                        2.  Even though many vaguely familiar with the story, so many do

                             not know the full significance of that baby lying there

                        3.  Consider who he is

                                    a.  That baby is the creator and sustainer of the world

                                                - Col 1:16 - By him all things were created

                                                - Col 1:17 - all things hold together through him

                                    b.  Look at what our Lord did

                                                - He became Immanuel - God with us

                                                - Called Yeshua, which means savior, deliverer

                                                - Became flesh, identified with us and our weakness

                                                - Hungry, able to bruise, to be beaten, to bleed

                                    c.  Yeshua unlike any deliverer that came before or after

                                                - Became weak so that we can become strong

                                                - He didn't enforce God's laws, he changed hearts

                                                - He gave even the least of these a sense of dignity

                                                - He demonstrated the power of God in weakness

                                    d.  That little baby in a manger would turn world upside down

                                                - Profoundly affect human history for last 2000 years

                                                - By his life and actions he defined what it means to

                                                   belong to God in our world

                                                            = Holiness in the midst of defilement

                                                            = Righteousness in the midst of wickedness

                                                            = Love in the midst of selfishness 

                        4.  All of this wrapped up, not in baby, but in the cross

                                    a.  He was born so that he could die and rise from the grave

                                    b.  We are reminded of this every week at Lord's Table

                                                - This is my body, given for you - He gave self for us

                                                - This is my new covenant in my blood - died for us

                                                - He rose from the grave for us - Is coming back

                                    c.  Even if we live, we die daily for him

                                                - Not a drudgery

                                                - We are thankful to be counted worthy to serve him

            D.  The language of God is Christ

                        1.  God communicated himself through his son, Jesus

                        2.  He entered time, culture, language, humanity to

                                    a.  Make a way

                                    b.  Show us the way

                        3.  If we know Christ, then we know the Father

 

Concl:

1.  God has spoken loud and clear through Christ.  Is calling you to God

            a.  Simply saying, "I believe" is not enough.  Even demons do that

            b.  God wants you to commit.  To die and be raised with Christ

            c.  God forgives through blood when you obey his call

                        - Buried with him in baptism

                        - Raised to walk in newness of life

                        - Sin is done away with

2.  If you have already done this, we follow the example of Christ

            a.  We live as he lived

            b.  His devotion to God, compassion for the least of these, love for all


 

 

BULLETIN OUTLINE:

 

 

Sermon:  The Language of God

 

Summary:  The infinite creator and God has revealed himself from the beginning in such a way that he has continued to draw closer so that we can be reconciled and know him to honor, serve, and love him.

 

Text:  Psalm 19

 

Scripture Reading:  1 Tim 1:15-17

 

Intro:  (Psalm 19) Ways God communicated

 

I. Through His Created Order

    A. The creation declares its maker

    B. Their line has gone out

           1. It is a measuring or plumb line

           2. God holds people reponsible

    C. Rom 1:18-20 - God made himself known

           1. They are without excuse

           2. God does not hide himself. Acts 17:27

    D. God holds people accountable for his revelation

 

II. (v.7-14) Through His Instruction

   A. Law, "Torah" means instruction

         1. It is perfect, sure, true, sound, reliable

         2. It brings us back to God - "restores the soul"

         3. It makes you wise, Ps 119:98-99

         4. Word of God is pleasing or delightful

   B.  If it is not delightful, then read more

 

III. Through Jesus

   A. John 1:14-18 - Jesus has explained God

   B. Heb 1:1-3 - God's final word

   C. Jn 8:19; 14:7 - If we know Jesus, we know the Father

   D. The language of God is Christ

 

Concl:

God has spoken to you

 


 

Small Group Notes:  The Language of God

 

Summary:  The infinite creator and God has revealed himself from the beginning in such a way that he has continued to draw closer so that we can be reconciled and know him to honor, serve, and love him.

 

 

Open

- What do you do when someone has trouble understanding you?

 

 

Explore:  (Psalm 19; John 1:14-18; Heb 1:1-3)

 

1.  Discuss how God made himself known to the whole world, even to those who do not have a Bible or missionary presence.  What expectations does God have of those who have never had a Bible?  (See Rom 1:18-20)

 

2.  In the series of poetic lines about God's word, what do each of the words used (eg: precepts, testimony, etc.) suggest about the various ways God has communicated with his people?  What are his expectations as to how his people should hear?

 

3.  What are the benefits of God's written word according to the Psalm?

 

4.  What is God's ultimate revelation to man?  In what ways is this superior to other ways he revealed his will?  What are some things you can learn about God through his ultimate revelation?

 

 

Apply:

 

5.  Since Jesus is the "fulfillment" of God's law, what should you do concerning him?  What about Jesus' example is most challenging to you?

 

6.  How much time do you spend with the word of God?  What is your attitude toward it?  In what ways do you do well with it and in what ways do you need to improve?

 

 

Prayer