Wednesday
Evening Bible Study
April 21, 2004
Introduction
Do people see Jesus?
Is the gospel preached?
Does it speak to the broken hearted?
Does it build up the church?
Milk – Meat – Manna
:145-152 KOPH
:145 I cried with my whole heart; hear me, O LORD: I will keep thy
statutes.
:146 I cried unto thee; save me, and I shall keep thy testimonies.
:147 I prevented the dawning of the morning, and cried: I hoped in thy
word.
prevented – qadam – to
meet, come or be in front, confront, go before
(Psa 119:147 NLT) I rise
early, before the sun is up; I cry out for help and put my hope in your words.
:148 Mine eyes prevent the night watches, that I might meditate in thy
word.
prevent – qadam – to meet,
come or be in front, confront, go before
(Psa 119:148 NLT) I stay
awake through the night, thinking about your promise.
:149 Hear my voice according unto thy lovingkindness: O LORD, quicken me
according to thy judgment.
:150 They draw nigh that follow after mischief: they are far from thy law.
:151 Thou art near, O LORD; and all thy commandments are truth.
:152 Concerning thy testimonies, I have known of old that thou hast founded
them for ever.
(Psa 119:152 NLT) I have
known from my earliest days that your decrees never change.
:153-160 RESH
:153 Consider mine affliction, and deliver me: for I do not forget thy law.
:154 Plead my cause, and deliver me: quicken me according to thy word.
:155 Salvation is far from the wicked: for they seek not thy statutes.
:156 Great are thy tender mercies, O LORD: quicken me according to thy
judgments.
tender mercies – racham –
womb; compassion; from racham – to
love, love deeply, have mercy, be compassionate, have tender affection, have
compassion
:157 Many are my persecutors and mine enemies; yet do I not decline from
thy testimonies.
:158 I beheld the transgressors, and was grieved; because they kept not thy
word.
:159 Consider how I love thy precepts: quicken me, O LORD, according to thy
lovingkindness.
:160 Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous
judgments endureth for ever.
true – ‘emeth – firmness,
faithfulness, truth; sureness, reliability; stability, continuance
the beginning – ro’sh –
head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning
(Psa 119:160 NLT) All your
words are true; all your just laws will stand forever.
(Psa 119:160 NKJV) The
entirety of Your word is truth, And every one of Your righteous judgments
endures forever.
(Psa 119:160 NASB) The sum
of Thy word is truth, And every one of Thy righteous ordinances is everlasting.
:161-168 SCHIN
:161 Princes have persecuted me without a cause: but my heart standeth in
awe of thy word.
:162 I rejoice at thy word, as one that findeth great spoil.
spoil – shalal – prey,
plunder, spoil, booty
:163 I hate and abhor lying: but thy law do I love.
:164 Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous judgments.
Seven times a day
That’s a lot of praise.
(Exo 30:7-8 NLT) "Every
morning when Aaron trims the lamps, he must burn fragrant incense on the altar.
{8} And each evening when he tends to the lamps, he must again burn incense in
the Lord's presence. This must be done from generation to generation.
:165 Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend
them.
peace – shalowm –
completeness, soundness, welfare, peace
offend – mikshowl – a
stumbling, means or occasion of stumbling, stumbling block
(Psa 119:165 NASB) Those who
love Thy law have great peace, And nothing causes them to stumble.
Looking for peace in your life?
Learn to love God’s Word.
:166 LORD, I have hoped for thy salvation, and done thy commandments.
:167 My soul hath kept thy testimonies; and I love them exceedingly.
:168 I have kept thy precepts and thy testimonies: for all my ways are
before thee.
(Psa 119:168 NLT) Yes, I
obey your commandments and decrees, because you know everything I do.
He sees everything
:169-176 TAU
:169 Let my cry come near before thee, O LORD: give me understanding
according to thy word.
:170 Let my supplication come before thee: deliver me according to thy
word.
Prayer according to the Word
The Word and Prayer
This psalm is not only a song about God’s Word, but it’s also a prayer.
:171 My lips shall utter praise, when thou hast taught me thy statutes.
:172 My tongue shall speak of thy word: for all thy commandments are
righteousness.
:173 Let thine hand help me; for I have chosen thy precepts.
:174 I have longed for thy salvation, O LORD; and thy law is my delight.
:175 Let my soul live, and it shall praise thee; and let thy judgments help
me.
:176 I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek thy servant; for I do not
forget thy commandments.
Lost Sheep
(Luke 15:1-7 KJV) Then drew near unto him all the publicans and
sinners for to hear him. {2} And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying,
This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them. {3} And he spake this parable
unto them, saying, {4} What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one
of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after
that which is lost, until he find it? {5} And when he hath found it, he layeth
it on his shoulders, rejoicing. {6} And when he cometh home, he calleth
together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I
have found my sheep which was lost. {7} I say unto you, that likewise joy shall
be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine
just persons, which need no repentance.
Jesus cares about sinners. He cares
about lost people. He is that shepherd
who goes out to find the one lost sheep.
(Luke 19:1-10 KJV) And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho. {2} And, behold,
there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and
he was rich. {3} And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the
press, because he was little of stature. {4} And he ran before, and climbed up
into a sycamore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way. {5} And when Jesus
came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus,
make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house. {6} And he
made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully. {7} And when they saw it,
they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a
sinner. {8} And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half
of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by
false accusation, I restore him fourfold. {9} And Jesus said unto him, This day
is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham. {10}
For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
Zacchaeus was a lost man. Jesus
sought him out.
You may be lost today. It could be
that your life has never been close to God. It could be that you used to be
close to God, but you’ve wandered away.
Jesus is looking for you. He didn’t
come to condemn sinners, He came to save them.
(Mat 18:1-14 KJV) At the same time came the disciples unto
Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? {2} And Jesus
called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, {3} And said,
Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children,
ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. {4} Whosoever therefore shall
humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of
heaven.
The disciples are all caught up in greatness. Jesus is concerned about humility. You may be wondering what this has to do with
lost sheep, but keep reading.
{5} And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name
receiveth me. {6} But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe
in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and
that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. {7} Woe unto the world because of
offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom
the offence cometh!
People are going to stumble, but you don’t want to be a person that causes
someone else to stumble, especially if it’s a child.
{8} Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off,
and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or
maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting
fire. {9} And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it
is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes
to be cast into hell fire.
The point is not about mutilating yourself.
The point is that God wants us to take sin seriously. He wants us to have the attitude that we’ll
do whatever it takes to stop.
{10} Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I
say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my
Father which is in heaven.
Don’t mess with children. They have
guardian angels that have direct access to God.
{11} For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost. {12}
How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray,
doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and
seeketh that which is gone astray? {13} And if so be that he find it, verily I
say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which
went not astray. {14} Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in
heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.
The disciples were concerned about getting their names in the paper. Jesus is concerned about reaching the lost.
The disciples were concerned about greatness. Jesus is concerned that we don’t be a reason
for another person to stumble.