The Power of God’s Word – Life Altering (pt. 2)

Psalm 119:169-176

Intro:

• “In a cellar in Cologne, Germany, after World War II were found these words on the wall:

I BELIEVE. . .

I believe in the sun,

even when it is not shining;

I believe in love,

even when I feel it not;

I believe in God,

even when He is silent.” ¹

• Last week we looked at an earlier portion of Psalm 119 (vv. 25-32) in which we saw six statements related to God’s Word. Remember that the chapter is an extended acrostic poem made up of the letters of the Hebrew alphabet in order, and its main them is the Word of God. The Word of God is essential for the spiritual life of every Christian.

• When the world rejects the Word of God, and even professing Christians exchange the Word of God for the wisdom of man, where will we stand? We live in a world filled with confusion, where do we look for answers? When our minds are spinning where do we look to reorient ourselves? Psalm 119:169-176 describes the faith-filled prayer of the psalmist looking to God for help through the Word of God and for deliverance because he has chosen dedication to God’s Word. This morning we are going to see the power of God’s Word illustrated through 8 encouragements related to God’s Word.

1. Ask God to help you think biblically (169).

The psalmist asks God to hear his cry for help. This is what desperation looks like, but it is properly answered by faith as the believer prays. He asks God to give him insight/understanding through the Word of God. When you are in need of a proper perspective, do you look to God’s Word? He is asking God to provide him with understanding (for his present situation, for life) through the Word of God (cf. Rom. 12:1-2). Remember, this necessitates reading/hearing God’s Word. One must have knowledge of Scripture to receive an answer to such a request. The Word of God provides God’s wisdom (Ps. 19:7-11; Prov. 3:5-8).

J.I. Packer wrote, The Christian principle of biblical authority means, on the one hand, that God purposes to direct the belief and behavior of his people through the revealed truth set forth in Holy Scripture; on the other hand it means that all our ideas about God should be measured, tested, and where necessary corrected and enlarged, by reference to biblical teaching.”²

Ask God to help you think biblically.

2. Trust in God’s promises to you (170).

The psalmist asks once more for God to hear his request as he lifts up his prayer. It is a request for God’s favor. He asks God to deliver him from whatever precarious position he is in, which would be in accordance with God’s promise to him to do so (Ps. 119:81-88, 65-68). Something that must be recognized is that God has not given a blanket promise to deliver believers from trial nor death in this earthly life. What are some promises that God has made to N.T. Christians? Some examples – eternal security (Rom. 8:31-39); peace in the midst of trouble (Phil. 4:6-7); conformity to the image of Christ (Rom. 8:28-30); his Word is sufficient for our spiritual needs (2 Tim. 3:16-17); provide for our needs (Heb. 13:5-6); provide wisdom (Jas. 1:5-8); answer prayers according to his will (1 Jn. 5:13-14); etc…

Trust in God’s promises to you.

3. Praise God for his teaching (171).

The psalmist desires to praise God because God teaches him from the Word of God. The desire to praise God necessitates God’s help – allowing him to live, enabling him to think and act properly so that he will praise God for his teaching. God’s teaching is indispensable in the life of a believer (Ps. 119:97-103, 129-130, 140). J.I. Packer wrote the following in his book Concise Theology, “Christians should be grateful to God for the gift of his written Word, and conscientious in basing their faith and life entirely and exclusively upon it. Otherwise, we cannot ever honor or please him as he calls us to do.”³

Praise God for his teaching.

4. Praise God because his commands are just (172).

The psalmist desires to sing about God’s Word because all of God’s commands are just (Ps. 119:64). He is seeking God’s enablement to do so. The psalmist recognizes God’s righteousness demonstrated in his commands (Ps. 119:137-144, 159-160). God is just and so is his Word (Tit. 1:1-3; Heb. 7:17-18). God is always true and just (Rom. 3:3-4; 9:18-24).

Praise God because his commands are just.

5. Choose God’s Word (173).

The psalmist asks God to be ready to help him because he has chosen God’s precepts – to obey them (cf. Ps. 119:30-31, 33-36). He has chosen God’s Word over the ways of this world (Ps. 119:72). As a result, he looks to God for help and asks for God to help him whenever he is in need (Ps. 119:92-94).

Choose God’s Word.

6. Delight in God’s Word (174).

The psalmist longs for God’s salvation/deliverance, which could be deliverance from an immediate enemy, deliverance from all enemies, or eternal deliverance (likely it refers to deliverance from all enemies – Ps. 119:81-96). Not only does he long for God’s Word because it is just, it reveals God who is the source of all true joy, and it is truth (cf. Ps. 119:14-16, 24, 47-48, 103-104, 161-168).

Delight in God’s Word.

7. Look to God’s Word for help (175).

The psalmist asks God to let him live so that he can praise God. If he lives longer on earth he can continue lifting up praises to God. He does not know much about the afterlife, he knows for certain that he can praise God while he lives. God is in control of when life begins and when it ends. The psalmist recognizes this truth. He also looks for help to come from God’s ordinances. He is asking God to help him through the Word of God (Ps. 119:113-117).

Look to God’s Word for help.

8. Do not forget God’s Word (176).

The psalmist acknowledges that even though he loves God and his Word, he still repeatedly wanders from God (Rom. 8:14-25). He is like a lost sheep, and he asks God to come find him – he wants his shepherd to bring him back. He asks God to bring him back because he has not forgotten God’s commands. This is the only request one can make when faced with the reality of having sinned against God again (genuine repentance is the goal – 2 Cor. 7:8-11; 1 Jn. 1:9). When a genuine believer sins God’s brings correction/discipline/chastening (Ps. 119:65-80; Heb. 12:4-11).

Do not forget God’s Word.

Conclusion:

Christians must trust in God for help through his Word and through his deliverance, which results choosing dedication to his Word.

THINK – Trust in God for help and deliverance results from dedication to his Word.

FEEL – I need more of God’s Word.

DO – Spend consistent, quality time in God’s Word.

Because of God’s Word, my next step today is to:

__ Commit to reading the Bible five days each week for this year (for at least 5-10 minutes each day).

__ Commit to memorizing one Bible verse each month of this year, in addition to spending consistent, quality time in God’s Word.

__ Commit to reading through the Bible using one of the Bible reading plans Pastor Bruce made available.

__ Commit to meditate on what I have read in God’s Word by keeping a record of what you have read. You may use the following guide (or your own system, it is simply to get you meditating on God’s Word):

Mark or make note of words/thoughts that stand out or impress you.

Date _____________ What I read today _______________

Best thought I marked/noted today: ________________________

How it impressed me: _________________________________

The Power of God’s Word – Life Altering

Psalm 119:25-32

Intro:

• Last week I shared with you about a few different Bible reading plans. Pastor Bruce realizes the importance of consistent Bible reading and wanted to make it a priority for us. Authentic Christians have always been people of the book and have emphasized the importance of God’s Word. The Protestant Reformation resulted from the desire of authentic believers to base all of life on the Word of God, choosing to recognize Scripture as the final authority for all of life and godliness. This is why Pastor Bruce wants to encourage all of us to be spending consistent, quality time in the Word of God this year.

• Here are some examples of the importance of God’s Word to believers in history, “The pony express was a thrilling part of early American history. It ran from St. Joseph, Missouri, to Sacramento, California—a distance of 1,900 miles. The trip was made in ten days. Forty men, each riding 50 miles a day, dashed along the trail on 500 of the best horses the West could provide. To conserve weight, clothing was very light, saddles were extremely small and thin, and no weapons were carried. The horses themselves wore small shoes or none at all. The mail pouches were flat and very conservative in size. Letters had to be written on thin paper, and postage was $5.00 an ounce (a tremendous sum those days). Yet, each rider carried a full-sized Bible! It was presented to him when he joined the pony express, and he took it with him despite all the scrupulous weight precautions. —Our Daily Bread¹

• There is a story of, “A poor prisoner confined in a dungeon had no light except for a few moments when food was brought in. He used those moments to read the Bible, saying that he could find his mouth in the dark, whereas he could not read in the dark.” ²

• This morning we are going to look at a portion of Psalm 119, which is an extended acrostic poem that utilizes the letters of the Hebrew alphabet in order. Each line in our present passage begins with the Hebrew letter dalet. Psalm 119 describes the power, greatness, and absolute necessity of God’s Word in the life of a believer. It is the longest Psalm, and it is dedicated to the Word of God. In our present passage the psalmist is in trouble and he cries out to God for help. He asks and expects it to come through God’s Word. As we look at the passage we will see six statements related to God’s Word.

Six Statements Related to God’s Word:

1. God’s Word Revives Believers (25).

The psalmist is in a desperate state. He declares that he is so weak that he collapses in the dirt. Being in such a weakened state he turns to his God and asks for something that I am not convinced we would readily think to do. He asks God to revive him with the Word of God. When we are discouraged or in a difficult set of circumstances, do we ask God to use his Word (which we would need to have prior knowledge of it) to revive us (strengthen/encourage/give us hope)? The psalmist has full confidence in the power and sufficiency of God’s Word to help him. Samuel Clark wrote the following, “Christians deprive themselves of their most solid comforts by their unbelief and forgetfulness of God’s promises. For there is no extremity so great, but there are promises suitable to it, and abundantly sufficient for our relief in it. A thorough acquaintance with the promises would be of the greatest advantage in prayer. With what comfort may the Christian address himself to God in Christ when he considers the repeated assurances that his prayers shall be heard!”³ God’s Word revives believers.

2. God’s Word is Wondrous to Believers (26-27)

The psalmist has poured out his heart to God (26). Do you cast all your anxieties on God in prayer, or do you cope, managing your worry? The psalmist did what God urges his children to do – cast all your cares upon him (1 Peter 5:6-7; Phil. 4:6-7). When you are in need do you boldly go before the throne of grace to find mercy and help in time of need (Heb. 4:14-16)? Now that the psalmist has poured out his heart to God, he asks God to teach him God’s statutes. When you collapse in the dirt, do you ask God to teach you his statutes? We will see in the next verse why he asked for such a thing.

He asked God to teach him, to help him understand God’s precepts, so that he can meditate on God’s wonders (27)! The Word of God is where we learn truth about God – who he is, what he expects, and how he acts. The psalmist who in the dirt wants God’s help to understand God’s precepts, so that he can meditate on God’s wonders. When we are weak and afraid being reminded of the greatness of God and his unbreakable promises brings encouragement. The Word of God is not only where we learn about who God is, what he expects, and how he acts, but it is also where we hear from God. It is his message. If you want to hear God speak, read his Word. God’s Word is wondrous to believers.

3. God’s Word Sustains Believers (28)

The psalmist declares that his grief causes him to collapse (lit. “drop” like rain). He asks God to sustain (strengthen, establish) him by God’s Word. This is the power of God’s Word, strengthening the weak. When you are weak, where do you seek strength? The psalmist believes firmly that God’s Word will strengthen him, sustaining him in life. Do we view God’s Word in this way? God’s Word sustains believers.

4. God’s Word is a Gift to believers (29)

The psalmist recognizes his predisposition toward sin and he is aware of those around him who are living in unrepentant sin, so he asks God to keep him off the way of deceit (cf. Verse 30 – I choose the way of faithfulness; he has chosen a different path). When Jesus was teaching the disciples how to pray, he indicated that believers would need God’s help not to sin, “And do not bring us into temptation but deliver us from the evil one” (Matt. 6:!3). After asking God to take away the way of deceit, he asks God graciously to give him God’s Law. He is asking God to give him God’s Word, so he can obey it with God’s help. Is this a common request of ours? God’s Word is a gift to believers.

5. God’s Word Must Be Made a Priority (30-31)

The psalmist declares that he has chosen the path of faithfulness, in contrast to the way of deceit (cf. verse 29). He is committed to God’s ordinances (judgments). The path of faithfulness is obedience to God’s Word. He has chosen to reject the way of deceit for the path of faithfulness, which amounts to choosing God’s way of life over the world’s way of life. God’s way of life is revealed in his Word.

The psalmist clings to God’s testimonies (rules, decrees; Ex. 31:18 – two tablets of testimony; i.e. ten commandments). He treasures and clings to God’s Word (note that in verse 25 he said that his soul was clinging to the dust, here he states that he is clinging to God’s Word, since he clings to God’s Word he has the hope to pray what he is praying). He asks God not to let him be put to shame – allowing him to sin, be defeated by the enemy, be impoverished, etc… He is asking for God’s blessing. J.I. Packer wrote, “True Christians are people who acknowledge and live under the Word of God written in ‘the book of Truth’ (Dan. 10:21), believing the teaching, trusting the promises, following the commands. Their eyes are upon the God of the Bible as their Father and the Christ of the Bible as their Savior…The promises are before them as they pray, and the precepts are before them as they go about their daily tasks.”⁴ God’s Word must be made a priority.

6. God’s Word Being Obeyed Requires God’s Enablement (32)

The psalmist runs the way of God’s commands (parallel to the way of faithfulness; in contrast to the way of deceit) – he is seeking to obey God’s Word, living in God’s prescribed way of life. He runs the path of God’s commands because “God has expanded his heart” which means that God has enabled him to do so. God has enabled the psalmist both to desire and have the ability to obey God’s Word. Paul says much the same thing in the N.T. (Phil. 2:12-13; Eph. 2:8-10; Tit. 2:14; 2 Cor. 5:15). God’s Word being obeyed requires God’s enablement.

Conclusion:

THINK – God’s Word is essential for living the Christian life.

FEEL – My soul craves what God’s Word provides.

DO – Spend consistent, quality time in God’s Word.

Because of God’s Word, my next step today is to…

__ Commit to reading the Bible five days each week for this year (for at least 5-10 minutes each day).

__ Commit to memorizing one Bible verse each month of this year, in addition to spending consistent, quality time in God’s Word.

__ Commit to reading through the Bible using one of the Bible reading plans Pastor Bruce made available.

__ Commit to meditate on what I have read in God’s Word by keeping a record of what you have read. You may use the following guide (or your own system, it is simply to get you meditating on God’s Word):

Mark or make note of words/thoughts that stand out or impress you.

Date _____________ What I read today _______________

Best thought I marked/noted today: ________________________

How it impressed me: _________________________________

Jesus entrusts authority and his message to his followers

Luke 9:1-6

Intro:

• D.L. Moody tells of one day seeing a steel-engraving which pleased him very much. He says: “I thought it was the finest thing I had ever seen, at the time, and I bought it.” It was the picture of a man floundering in the water and clinging with both hands to the Cross of Refuge. “But afterward,” he goes on to say, “I saw another picture which spoiled this one for me entirely—it was so much more lovely. It was a picture of a person coming out of the dark waters with one arm clinging to the Cross, but with the other she was lifting someone else out of the waves.”¹

• A beautiful story is told of Dr. John A. Broadus, the scholar and homiletical professor. In his younger days he was converted to Christ in the town in which he lived. Next day he went to one of his schoolmates, Sandy Jones, a red-haired, awkward chap, and said to him, “I wish you would be a Christian; won’t you?” And Sandy said: “Well, I don’t know. Perhaps I will.” And sure enough after a while, one night in the little church, Sandy Jones accepted Christ. Straightway he stalked across the little meeting house, held out his hand, and said, “I thank you, John; I thank you, John.” Dr. Broadus went forth from that little town and became a great scholar, a great exegete and theological president. Every summer when he went home (and he hardly missed a year) this awkward, red-haired old farmer, in his plain clothes, with red sand on his boots, would come up, stick out his great, bony hand, and say, “Howdy, John, I never forgot you, John.” And they say that when Broadus lay dying with his family about him, he said: “I rather think the sound sweetest to my ears in Heaven, next to the welcome of Him whom not having seen, I have tried to love and serve, will be the welcome of Sandy Jones, as he will thrust out his great hand and say, “Howdy, John! Thank you, John.””²

• Jesus has been traveling throughout Israel proclaiming the kingdom of God, casting out demons, healing people from disease and sickness, and raising people from the dead. As he has traveled ministering, the 12 have been present watching and listening. This was the typical way that a teacher would train his students. The students would live with the teacher and follow him wherever he went.

• Luke writes this passage to describe Jesus entrusting the 12 with authority and the message of the kingdom of God. Let’s listen in as Jesus instructs and sends out the 12.

 

1. Jesus entrusts the 12 with power and authority over demons and diseases (1).

• It is important to note at the outset – Jesus gives this power and authority only to the 12. This is not a universal bestowal on every believer. Jesus, being God in the flesh, has been exercising his power and authority over the demons since the outset of his earthly ministry (Lk. 4:31-37; 8:26-33). God the Son is the Creator and Lord of the entire universe (Col. 1:13-20; 2:13-15). Jesus now entrusts his power and authority over all demons to the 12.

• Furthermore, Jesus, being God in the flesh, has been exercising power and authority over diseases since the outset of his earthly ministry (Lk. 4:38-41; 5:12-16; 6:17-19; 7:2-10, 18-21; 8:40-48). He had also healed a paralytic (Lk. 5:17-26), raised a widow’s son from the dead (Lk. 7:11-17), and raised a synagogue official’s daughter from the dead (Lk. 8:40-42, 49-56). God the Son is the Creator and Lord of the entire universe (Matt. 4:23; Deut. 32:39; 2 Kg. 20:5; 5:10-14). Now, Jesus entrusts his power and authority over all diseases to the 12 (cf. Acts 3:1-16; 9:34; 19:11-20).

• The 12 had been with Jesus witnessing his ministry, now he entrusts them with ministry on their own. Jesus entrusts these men with authority and his message.

 

2. Jesus sends the 12 to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal (2-5).

   1. He instructs them to preach and heal (2).

• Jesus had informed the disciples earlier that he had been sent by the Father to preach the kingdom of God (Lk. 4:40-44). His priority, even above healing, was to travel and preach the kingdom of God. Matthew details the message (10:7), and so does Mark (6:12-13).

• The disciples are now entrusted with the same ministry. Jesus gave them authority and the message.

1. He instructs them to take nothing extra with them for provisions (3).

• This mission was to begin right away. They were not to make extra plans. This unplanned sort of mission would necessitate the 12 trusting God to provide for them and protect them. It would also communicate to others that the 12 were on a short-term mission to preach the kingdom of God.

1. He instructs them to stay in one house while in a city (4).

• Jesus tells them to stay in the house of the one who received them in a particular city. Receiving the 12 meant a host received their message about the kingdom of God and its Messiah. The blessing of the 12 would be upon the household which received them as guests (Matt. 10:11-13). Also, stay with one host in a city would require a shorter stay.

1. He instructs them to disavow the cities which don’t receive them (5).

• The Jews would shake the dust of their sandals upon returning from a Gentile territory, which symbolized a disavowal or a breaking of ties with the Gentiles, i.e. “I have nothing to do with you!” The 12 doing such a thing in regard to Jews who rejected the message (“repent for the kingdom of God is at hand [Mk. 6:12; Matt. 10:7] – in the presence of the Messiah” [Lk. 17:20-21; 6:20; 11:20]) amounted to the 12 disavowing the unbelieving Jews.

• Note the serious implications of rejecting the message (Lk. 10:16).

• Jesus was bringing division as he said he would – between believers and unbelievers (Matt. 10:34-36).

 

3. The 12 begin preaching the gospel and healing everywhere (6).

• Upon hearing the conclusion of Jesus’ instructions, the 12 set out traveling in pairs (Mk. 6:7) to preach to Israelites, not Gentiles nor Samaritans (Matt. 10:5). They went out from village to village preaching, “Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand!”

• They followed Jesus’ instructions and multiplied his influence by preaching his message. They are his ambassadors, sent with his authority and his message. This was always the intention of Jesus to equip his followers and then turn ministry responsibility over to them (Lk. 6:40). This ministry responsibility would help to prepare them for their future responsibility (Lk. 24:44-49).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Conclusion:

• Jesus entrusted the twelve with authority and his message. They went about proclaiming Jesus’ message.

• God has entrusted authentic Christians with his message of the gospel – the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Lk. 24:44-49).

• John Harper, the newly-called pastor of Moody Church in the early 1900s, manifested his Christian character in the sinking of the Titanic. Dr. W. B. Riley related the death of Harper. “We have the history of John Harper’s end, for survivors, brought to harbor in safety, told the same. When the Titanic was struck by the iceberg that drove in her sides, and sent the ship to the bottom, John Harper was leaning against the rail pleading with a young man to come to Christ. … ” Four years after the Titanic went down, a young Scotchman rose in a meeting in Hamilton, Can., and said, “I am a survivor of the Titanic. When I was drifting alone on a spar that awful night, the tide brought Mr. John Harper, of Glasgow, on a piece of wreck near me. “Man,” he said, “are you saved?” “No,” I said, “I am not.” He replied, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.” “The waves bore him away; but, strange to say brought him back a little later, and he said, “Are you saved now?” “No,” I said, “I cannot honestly say that I am.” He said again, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved,” and shortly after he went down; and there, alone in the night, and with two miles of water under me, I believed. I am John Harper’s last convert.”³

 

Think – Jesus has chosen to carry out his mission on earth through his followers.

Feel – The weight and privilege of being entrusted with such a responsibility.

Do – Carry out Jesus’ mission, which he has entrusted to his people – making disciples (Matt. 28:19-20).

 

Because of God’s Word, my next step today is to:

___ Become a follower of Jesus by repenting of my sin and placing my trust in Jesus’ message – the gospel.

___ Repent of my inward focus and begin sharing his message – the gospel – with others who do not know him.

___ Pray for continued strength, passion, and wisdom for the purpose of continuing to share his message – the gospel – with others who do not know him.

Overcoming Doubt with Faith

Truth – Let the light shine

Luke 8:16-21

Intro:

• How many of you can picture the older couple who has been married for sixty years and maybe does not communicate as well as they should. The husband is sitting in the recliner watching the news on television and his wife notices that the basement door is still not working properly. She noticed this because it slammed shut on her once again. She is definitely not thrilled that every time she does laundry in the basement when she comes back up the stairs and through the door, the automatic closer closes too quickly. Time after time she struggles to squeeze through the door and then it closes sharply and hits her in the backside. She has repeatedly mentioned this to her husband. This time she is going to make certain that her husband hears her. So she walks with purpose into the living room and expresses her dissatisfaction to him. He responds, “What? The basement? What about it? Is it flooded again? The door? It is flooded up to the door?! What do you mean I am not listening to you? We are talking aren’t we?” The problem in this situation is that the man is listening to his wife (kind of listening) but he is not acting upon what she is saying.

• How we respond to what we hear has consequences. Jesus said the very same thing. He communicated this idea through the parable of the soils. The difference between the people (represented by four different types of soil) is how they responded to God’s Word. We are about to see Jesus’ conclusion to this lesson and there are consequences once more based upon how we listen and respond.

1. Truth is meant to be seen and heard (16).

   1. The disciples were given the secrets of the kingdom of God (Lk. 8:9-10).

Jesus has just finished explaining to His disciples that they get to know the secrets of the kingdom of God but others heard parables (8:9-10). Isaiah had been sent by God to preach a message which would blind the eyes and close the ears of those who had continually heard and not acted upon God’s Word (Isa. 6:9-10). His ministry was one of judgment, namely God hardening the hearts of the unbelieving. But, in contrast those who heard and acted upon Jesus’ message would receive the secrets of God’s kingdom explained to them (8:11-15).

2. Light is meant to be seen (16).

Jesus says something to his disciples that at first glance sounds kind of obvious. No one lights a lamp and then covers the light it gives off. Light is meant to be seen. They may have been thinking, “Did we miss something?” or “Is he testing us to see if we are paying attention?” People light lamps so that the light can be seen.

Jesus has been sharing the secrets of the kingdom of God with his disciples so that they will “let the light shine.” As God’s truth was revealed to them, they were to listen and act on the truth. This would lead to them living out the truth and share it verbally with others. Genuine followers of Christ who hear and act on the truth of God’s Word shine! They do! There is a visible difference in their actions based upon obedience to God’s Word. They obey by sharing God’s truth with others.

3. The good soil produces fruit (Lk. 8:15).

People are to listen to God’s Word, act on it, and share it with others. They are not to keep it to themselves. This is an evidence of being good soil – they bear fruit, in other words, their light is seen. Jesus told his disciples that they are the light of the world (Matt. 5:13-16).

2. Truth will be revealed (17).

Jesus informs his disciples that whatever is hidden now (the secrets of the kingdom of God – 8:9-10) will not remain hidden. All truth will be revealed (cf. Lk. 12:2-3). People’s response to the truth of God will reveal their heart. God’s Word will reveal a person’s heart by how they hear and act upon what they have heard. They will be one of the four soils (8:11-15).

The disciples would be the means of making God’s truth known. Christians are ambassadors for Christ (2 Cor. 5:17-21). Christians living according to God’s Word and sharing God’s Word receive different responses from those who are being saved and among those who are perishing (2 Cor. 2:14-17).

3. More will be given to those who hear and act upon truth (18).

   1. More light will be given to those who let it shine.

Jesus solemnly warns the disciples to listen carefully to him. The one who has truth will receive more from God but the one who does not have truth will lose even what he thinks he has. Jesus is telling them that those who hear and act on divine truth will receive more (cf. Lk. 19:24-26).

The “person who has” is the one who has turned from his sin and placed his faith in Jesus Christ, so he would be reconciled to God. In reality, such a person has heard God’s truth (the gospel) and acted upon it (turned from his sin and believed). The believer is to continually hear and act upon the Word of God (8:15). Such a person who hears and acts upon God’s Word will bear fruit, and receive more truth (cf. Mk. 4:21-25).

The “person who does not have” is the one who hears God’s Word and does not act upon it (cf. Matt. 7:24-27). Such a person is deceiving himself (cf. Jas. 1:21-24). He is a forgetful hearer. The “one who has” is mentioned as blessed because he hears and acts upon God’s Word (Jas. 1:25).

2. God soil produces fruit.

Those who hear and act upon divine truth are those mentioned in verse 15. They heard the Word of God, cling to it with an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with steadfast endurance. They are shining the light of God’s truth by living in obedience to God’s Word and sharing it with others verbally. They shine! Paul said that same thing to the Philippians (Phil. 2:12-16).

4. Jesus Christ is in closest relationship with those who hear and act upon truth (19-21).

As we have seen and heard throughout this message, God is declaring that people must listen and act upon his truth (cf. Lk. 11:28). We are about to see this demonstrated through Jesus’ biological family visiting him.

Jesus’ mother Mary and his half-brothers came to see him but they couldn’t get to him because the crowd was in the way (8:19). Mark’s account states that Jesus’ family thought he was out of his mind and they were going to restrain him (cf. 3:20-21). Jesus was teaching divine truth which his biological family heard but did not act upon it. They rejected it – clearly his brothers did not believe in him (Jn. 7:1-9).

When Jesus is told that his mother and brothers are there to see him, Jesus responds by saying, “My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s Word and obey it.” This would have been shocking for the Jewish listeners. Jesus said his closest relationships are with those who hear and obey God’s Word (Jn. 14:22-24; 15:5-11; 12:44-50).

Craig Keener says, “Thinking of one’s coreligionists as brothers and sisters was common; respecting older persons as mothers or fathers was also widespread. But allowing ties in the religious community to take precedence even over family ties was unheard-of in Judaism, except when a pagan converted to Judaism and regarded his new family as more important than his old one.”¹

Jesus is sending a message here. Those who are fruitful soil, those who let the light shine, those who are in closest relationship with him, are those who hear and act upon God’s Word.

Conclusion:

1. Truth is meant to be seen and heard (16). Are you hearing and acting upon God’s Word? Hearing without acting upon what was heard is not applauded in Scripture (cf. Rom. 2:17-24).

2. Truth will be revealed (17). What does your response to God’s Word reveal about your heart? Does it reveal authentic Christianity (family life, work attitude and conduct, church life, and evangelism – 1 Jn. 4:20-21)?

3. More will be given to those who hear and act on truth (18). Is the fruit of the Spirit popping up in your life? Such fruit demonstrates the authenticity of one’s relationship with Christ (Gal. 5:22-26).

4. Jesus is in closest relationship with those who hear and act on truth (19-21). Does the way you hear and act upon God’s Word demonstrate you are in relationship with him (1 Jn. 5:1-4)?

Truth Concept

Think – how am I hearing and acting?

Feel – Hearing and acting leads to blessing.

Do – Obey God’s Word.

Because of God’s Word, my next step today is to:

__ turn from my sin and be reconciled to God.

__ confess that I have been hearing God’s Word but not acting upon it.

__ ask God to help me to persevere in hearing and acting on his Word.

– God’s truth is meant to be heard and acted upon. Blessing comes upon those who hear truth and act upon it. The parable of the soils is about how individuals hear and act upon truth. The example that should be emulated is the good soil that bears fruit with steadfast endurance. Such individuals produce fruit. Such individuals shine light. They hear and act upon divine truth. They are genuine believers who continue to grow in their knowledge of God through his Word and prayer, hearing and acting upon divine truth.

Lavish Love

Luke 7:36-50

Intro:

• I want you all to imagine with me that you and a group from your church have taken a missions trip to Los Angeles (not that professing Christians would ever do anything like that, take a vacation and call it a missions trip). It is lunch time and your group decides to eat in a small café. While you are eating a celebrity walks in and she walks over to your table. You recognize her immediately. She begins to speak, “I noticed your church van outside. So, I’m guessing that you guys are Christians?” You do not really know how to respond to her question because you are so surprised that she is speaking to you. Somehow one of you is able to get out the fact that you are Christians. You notice her beginning to cry a little. She says, “You may not believe this, but I just accepted Jesus as my Savior. I have been living a sinful life and felt beyond forgiveness. Someone shared the gospel with me recently and I realized for the first time that I could be forgiven through Jesus. So, I asked Jesus to forgive my sins and to save me.” Your group is sitting there listening to this whole story, watching Lindsay Lohan pour out her heart to you about accepting Jesus Christ as her Savior. It seems so surreal. Then you begin to think about who this woman is and what she has done – being involved in homosexuality, drunk driving, shoplifting, and other various forms of immorality. Even though her story seems so touching, this is Lindsay Lohan. How could she genuinely be saved? We know who she is and what she has done. How could Jesus accept her? The sins of Lindsay Lohan are very public today. People know who she is and what she has done. How would you react? The woman in our passage was also well known. The Pharisees knew who she was and what she had done. She was a sinner.

• Just prior to our present passage, Jesus had spoken with messengers from John the Baptist. John had sent a delegation to obtain testimony from Jesus concerning his identity as Messiah (7:18-23). Jesus answered by quoting Isaiah’s statements concerning the Messiah and applying those messianic statements to himself (Isaiah 35:5; 61:1). After John’s delegation departed, Jesus spoke to the remaining crowd about John the Baptist and his preparatory ministry for the Messiah (Luke 7:24-28). Jesus knew that the Pharisees and the lawyers had rejected John’s baptism of repentance. As a result, Jesus spoke of them rejecting John because he was too stringent and they rejected Jesus because they viewed him as too loose (7:31-35). Ironically, the people and tax collectors agreed with Jesus because they had been baptized with John’s baptism of repentance (7:29-30).

• The Jewish religious leaders rejected John and Jesus, which led Jesus to declare that wisdom will be vindicated by her children. We are about to be introduced to one of her children and you will never guess who. The principle in the passage is this, “Lavish love received from Jesus produces lavish love for Jesus.”

1. The Event Prompting the Parable (36-39).

   1. Jesus accepts an invitation to eat in Simon the Pharisee’s home (36).

      1. Jesus’ reclined at the table. At such a gathering dinner guests would have been reclined on couches, not chairs as is the custom of today. The guests would have their head closest to the table and their feet stretched back furthest from the table. At this point the only ones present that we know of are the Pharisee and Jesus.

   2. A known sinner comes to see Jesus (37-38).

      1. A woman located in the city, who was viewed as a sinner by religious Jews, learned of Jesus’ presence at the Pharisee’s home. Knowing that Jesus was present at the dinner she threw caution to the wind and entered into a hostile environment. It was not uncommon for uninvited guests to be present at such gatherings, especially when a Rabbi was present. Yet, because of who she was the host was not happy to see her. Luke describes her as she was known, a sinner.

         1. The identity of the woman is unclear. Some propose that she was a prostitute. Ultimately the text does not say. Therefore, we must be content with the reality that she was a woman who had a reputation for disobeying God’s law. The host recognized her immediately, so she must have had a well-known reputation as an immoral woman.

         2. She is described as carrying an alabaster vial of perfume. In this culture it was common for women to wear such containers around their neck. It is possible that she had purchased this expensive perfume with money earned by immoral means, but the text does not tell us.

      2. Upon entering the home she stood behind Jesus at his feet crying – she wet Jesus’ feet with her tears (7:38). It appears that she was kneeling at his feet because she wiped the tears off his feet with her hair. Righteous women in this culture would have had their hair concealed. This woman did not, which was normally a sign of being morally loose. Not only did she wet his feet with her tears and wipe them with her hair, she anointed Jesus’ feet with the perfume in her alabaster vial (7:37, 38b).

         1. She is unconcerned that she is embarrassing herself in front of all those who are present. She is unconcerned with entering a hostile environment.

   3. The Pharisee is offended by Jesus’ “bad judgment” (39).

      1. The Pharisee in whose home this was occurring said to himself, “If this man were a prophet he would know who and what sort of person this woman is who is touching him, that she is a sinner.”

      2. The (second class condition indicates that the) Pharisee did not believe that Jesus was even a prophet because he allowed such a sinful woman access to himself. The implication is that if Jesus knew how wicked this woman was he would never allow her to touch him. The Pharisee is looking down on Jesus for allowing this to happen. He is too righteous to allow such a thing to happen to himself. He believes that Jesus has bad judgment and he has good judgment.

         1. The religious Jews believed that they would become ceremonially unclean if they were to come into contact with a sinner.

         2. It is important to note he does not say this out loud. He merely thinks it.

2. Jesus Shares a Dinner Party Parable with Simon (40-43).

   1. Jesus is not going to pass up the opportunity to correct Simon’s bad judgment (40).

      1. What is incredibly ironic about Simon’s thinking is that Jesus knows exactly what his host is thinking. Apparently, Simon the Pharisee does not notice that Jesus knew his thoughts. The truth is Jesus knew exactly how immoral this woman was. He knows everything! Therefore, Jesus is not going to allow Simon’s misunderstanding to go uncorrected. Jesus tells Simon that he has something to say to him and Simon tells him to say it. In doing so he refers to Jesus as a teacher, not a prophet. Jesus tells him the story to confront his misunderstanding.

   2. Two debtors owe drastically different amounts (41).

      1. The story deals with a moneylender and two debtors. Simon would have been familiar with the concept and it is possible he may have even been a moneylender at some point. Moneylenders would loan money to individuals who were in need at a set interest rate.

      2. In this case one debtor owes a large amount and the other owes a huge amount (7:41). One debt amounted to 50 denarii and the other amounted to 500 denarii.

         1. A denarius was equivalent to a day’s wages for a laborer. Jews were not supposed to work on the Sabbath, which would mean a six day work week. So the individual owing 50 denarii would have to surrender his wages for over two months (50 days of work). The individual owing 500 denarii would have to surrender his wages for over a year and a half (500 days of work; closer to a year and three quarters).

         2. Imagine that you make $10 per hour and you work an 8 hour day, which equals $80 per day. Your daily wage would be $80 and you owe someone 50 days wages, which would be $4,000. Another person making the same amount owes someone 500 days wages, which would be $40,000. Imagine the reaction of the person who has been forgiven a $40,000 debt! Do you think he would be more ecstatic than the person who has been forgiven a $4,000 debt? Absolutely!

   3. Both debtors are forgiven, who will love the lender more (42)?

      1. Jesus asks his host Simon the Pharisee which debtor would love his moneylender more, the one forgiven 500 denarii or the one forgiven 50 denarii? Jesus is drawing a connection between forgiveness of debt and a response of love.

   4. The one forgiven the greater debt will love more (43).

      1. Simon appears to respond to Jesus’ question with indifference. It is possible that Simon was aware of the fact that Jesus often used questions to correct wrong thinking and actions. Therefore, at the very least Simon is very cautious in responding.

      2. Jesus informs him that he has answered correctly. The individual who has been forgiven the greater debt will love more.

3. Jesus Applies the Parable to the Present Situation (44-50)

   1. The sinner has loved more than Simon (44-46).

      1. Jesus continues to speak with Simon but he turns to look at the sinful woman (44a). He begins to use the sinful woman and her actions to rebuke Simon. It is certain that Simon did not see this coming.

      2. When Jesus entered Simon’s house, Simon did not provide him with any water to wash off his feet (44b). Since the majority of roads in the first century were unpaved and people wore sandals, it was very common to have dirty feet. It was a common custom for hosts to provide water for guests to cleanse their feet prior to eating. In this case, the host Simon did no such thing for Jesus.

         1. In contrast, the sinful woman (who was not the host) had washed Jesus’ feet with her tears and hair (44c). This nameless sinful woman provides Jesus with a courtesy that the host did not. Simon merely needed to provide water but the woman provided cleansing for Jesus’ feet in a more costly way.

      3. Secondly, Jesus points out that when he entered Simon’s house he received of greeting from his host (45a). This was a well-known practice of a host greeting a guest with a kiss on the cheek. Simon provided no such greeting for Jesus.

         1. In contrast, the sinful woman did not cease to kiss Jesus’ feet (45b). Simon could have merely kissed Jesus’ cheek once but the woman kissed his feet repeatedly.

      4. Thirdly, Simon did not anoint Jesus’ head with oil upon entering his house (46a). The Greek word Jesus used to describe the oil (that Simon did not provide for him) is different than the Greek word used to describe the perfume that the sinful woman poured on Jesus’ feet. It was customary for a host to anoint the head of a guest of honor with olive oil, which was inexpensive and prevalent. Simon did no such thing for Jesus.

         1. On the other hand, the sinful woman anointed Jesus’ feet with perfume, which would have been expensive. As mentioned previously, it is possible that this perfume was purchased with funds gained through immoral activity, but the text is silent on this issue. The point remains that Simon did not provide an inexpensive courtesy to Jesus his guest, but the woman lavished love on Jesus.

   2. The sinner’s debt has been forgiven that is why she loved more than Simon (47-48).

      1. This is where Jesus hits the punchline. He tells Simon that this sinner, her many sins have been forgiven (47a-b). She has showed up at this gathering for the purpose of lavishing love on Jesus because her many sins have been forgiven. Jesus has just declared to Simon that this sinful woman is like the debtor who owed 500 denarii (cf. 7:41). As a result of her great debt being forgiven she loves Jesus greatly.

      2. Jesus completes his statement by saying that the one who is forgiven little, in turn loves little (47c). Just as in the parable, the debtor who is forgiven the smaller amount loves less than the debtor who is forgiven the greater amount. At this dinner party, Simon is the debtor who loves less. Jesus never says that Simon does not need forgiveness. He merely contrasts the sinner’s love with the Pharisee’s love, which is lacking.

         1. D.A. Carson makes this observation, “love is the proof that a person has received forgiveness, and the more people are forgiven, the more they will love.” Simon would never have guessed that he would end up being the villain of the story and the sinner being the hero.

         2. Zaccheus a chief tax collector would later receive Christ also. When Jesus went to his house people grumbled because Zaccheus was a sinner (Luke 19:1-2, 5-10). Jesus came to seek and save the lost.

         3. Jesus invited all the weary and heavy-laden to come to him for rest (Matt. 11:28-30).

   3. What is your level of love for the Savior who allowed you to come to him and forgave your great debt?

      1. Then Jesus informs the sinful woman that her sins have been forgiven (48). It appears that Jesus’ pronouncement is for the purpose of assuring the woman that she has been forgiven for her sins. Her forgiveness is not the result of her love, rather her love is the result of her forgiveness. It does not appear that Jesus is granting forgiveness here, but rather is announcing something that has already occurred.

         1. It is also likely that this is the punchline of Jesus’ story. The sinful woman leaves the dinner party assured by Christ of the forgiveness of her sins. Simon does not receive assurance by Christ of the forgiveness of his sins. He loves little because he has been forgiven little (in fact, he has not received forgiveness at all because he has not repented). Jesus came to call sinners to salvation, not the righteous (Matt. 9:9-13).

         2. Share my personal testimony.

   4. The dinner guests react to Jesus’ bestowal of forgiveness (49).

      1. This is the first time that we realize others are present at the gathering. They begin wondering who Jesus thinks he is to forgive sins. They are offended that he would say such a thing. Levitical priests would pronounce forgiveness upon individuals following a sacrificial offering. On this occasion, no such offering has been given, nor is Jesus a Levitical priest.

         1. Prior to this Jesus had declared a paralytic to be forgiven of his sins and then clearly stated that he has authority on earth to forgive sins (Luke 5:20-24).

         2. “There is more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need to repent” (Luke 15:7).

   5. The sinner’s faith has saved her (50).

      1. Jesus continues speaking to the woman and tells her that her faith has saved her. This statement by Christ makes the point clear, her faith resulted in her forgiveness and her forgiveness resulted in her love. He concludes by telling her to go in peace.

      2. “For no one is declared righteous before him by the works of the law, for through the law comes the knowledge of sin. But now apart from the law the righteousness of God (which is attested by the law and the prophets) has been disclosed – namely, the righteousness of God through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. But they are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 3:20-24 NET).

Conclusion:

• The irony of the entire story is that the sinful woman stood forgiven for her many sins and Simon the Pharisee stood condemned. Simon was greatly offended that Jesus would allow such a sinner to come to him. Jesus dropped the bombshell by declaring that the woman lavished love on him because she had been forgiven for her many sins. John Newton said, “Although my memory’s fading, I remember two things very clearly: I am a great sinner and Christ is a great Savior.”

• How would you respond if you were sitting there and in walks this sinner? Imagine Lindsay Lohan (or Madonna) walking up to you, breaking down in tears, and expressing to you that she had repented of her sin and accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior.

  • How would you react?

  • Who (or what kind of person) do you see as beyond forgiveness of sins? Lindsay Lohan, Madonna, muslims, homosexuals, prostitutes, Democrats?

  • Is there anyone who cannot come to Jesus and be accepted by him?

• Remember the principle I mentioned to you in the introduction? – lavish love received from Jesus results in lavish love for Jesus.

  • How do you love your Savior?

  • Are you still in awe of the forgiveness you have received?

  • Are you humbled by the greatness of the debt you owed and the greatness of the forgiveness you have received?

  • What is your level of love for the Savior who allowed you to come to him and forgave your great debt?

    • Thom Constable said, “The more one understands forgiveness, the more love he will have for Christ.”

• The Bible states that Christians should do everything like they were doing it for Jesus, “And whatever you do in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Whatever you are doing, work at it with enthusiasm, as to the Lord and not for people,because you know that you will receive your inheritance from the Lord as the reward. Serve the Lord Christ” (Col. 3:17, 23-24 NET).”

• We are unable to walk up to Jesus and tangibly show him our love as the woman in the story did, but imagine if we were to do everything as if we were doing it for Jesus. Imagine how our:

  • Worship would change – worship with a renewed sense of gratitude and love for the Savior who took your sins upon himself and received from God the Father the wrath which your sins deserved (1 Peter 2:24-25; 1 Peter 1:3-5; Eph. 1:7-8a).

  • Service would change – serve with a renewed sense of gratitude and love for the Savior who took your sins upon himself and received from God the father around which your sins deserved. Humble service for God is the result of genuine gratitude and love for the Savior (1 John 4:9-10; Eph. 2:1-7).

  • Living would change – live with a renewed sense of gratitude and love for the Savior who took your sins upon himself and received from God the father around which your sins deserved (Phil. 3:17-21).

    • our obedience to God’s Word would increase and disobedience would decrease

    • our marriages and families would demonstrate God’s grace and unconditional love

    • our personal relationships would be marked by humility, unconditional love, and forgiveness.

• Lavish love received from Jesus produces lavish love for Jesus. Our love for Jesus is demonstrated by obeying His Word in all areas by His grace. Whatever you do for others and for God – I am doing this because I love Jesus Christ, as a result of the great forgiveness he has given to me. I do this for him because I love him because he first loved me and he deserves obedience.