WEBVTT 00:00:03.279 --> 00:00:08.240 Ministering to the heart of Western Arkansas's River Valley for over 165 years. 00:00:08.480 --> 00:00:13.919 Welcome to Chapter and First, the Bible Teaching Ministry of Fort Smith's First Baptist Church. 00:00:14.160 --> 00:00:19.199 You'll find sermons and teachings from Pastor Greg, our ministry staff, and guest speakers. 00:00:19.679 --> 00:00:21.039 Thank you for listening. 00:00:21.280 --> 00:00:26.960 Welcome to the edition of the Legacy Series of our Chapter and First podcast. 00:00:27.199 --> 00:00:34.159 This podcast gives us a platform to share the Bible teaching and preaching ministry of First Baptist Church. 00:00:34.479 --> 00:00:49.280 The Legacy series gives us a chance to go back in time and hear some incredible Bible messages from some of the great men of God who have preached here and taught God's Word here at First Baptist Time. 00:00:49.759 --> 00:00:52.000 Today's message you're going to hear is from Dr. 00:00:52.079 --> 00:00:53.039 William Bennett. 00:00:53.359 --> 00:00:53.600 Dr. 00:00:53.679 --> 00:01:02.000 Bennett was pastor of First Baptist Church from 1967 until 1986 with a 19-year time. 00:01:02.799 --> 00:01:11.920 During this time here, the church built building started evangelism explosion, and the church grew evangelistically during his ministry. 00:01:12.400 --> 00:01:17.920 In fact, uh folks say that his favorite motto was Our goal is souls. 00:01:18.239 --> 00:01:23.439 And certainly many souls were saved under the evangelistic preaching and teaching of Dr. 00:01:23.519 --> 00:01:24.000 Bennett. 00:01:24.799 --> 00:01:35.280 After pastoring at First Baptist, he went on to teach in seminaries, and God used him in evangelism platforms through international missions around the world. 00:01:35.519 --> 00:01:41.359 And we are blessed to have him as a part of our heritage as a church family. 00:01:41.599 --> 00:01:45.760 So today's message, we pray you will be blessed by hearing Dr. 00:01:45.840 --> 00:01:49.439 William Bennett preach as a part of our legacy series. 00:01:56.719 --> 00:01:59.519 And he says one of the greatest lyrics in all the world. 00:01:59.760 --> 00:02:05.439 This great English critic and scholar gives us an estimate of the psalm. 00:02:05.680 --> 00:02:12.960 If you want an outline, we have the revelation of God in the skies, verses 1 through 6. 00:02:13.759 --> 00:02:21.680 And then verses 7 through 11, we have the revelation of God in the scriptures. 00:02:22.400 --> 00:02:27.520 And then verses 12, 13, and 14, his revelation to our souls. 00:02:28.159 --> 00:02:31.439 You brothers who preach, that is an alliterative outline. 00:02:31.759 --> 00:02:32.800 Let's look at it. 00:02:33.039 --> 00:02:41.039 The first section deals with the witness of creation to the glory of God. 00:02:41.199 --> 00:02:48.960 Verse 1: the heavens declare it's a progressive tense. 00:02:49.199 --> 00:02:51.520 The heavens are telling. 00:02:53.120 --> 00:02:56.240 The heavens are continually telling. 00:02:56.719 --> 00:03:03.840 The heavens are unceasingly proclaiming the glory of God. 00:03:06.000 --> 00:03:24.240 And the firmament, that would be the skies around the earth, the heavens referring to the greater outer spaces, the skies surrounding the earth showeth his handiwork or the works of his hand. 00:03:25.439 --> 00:03:49.919 Verse 2 says, day unto, or day after day, uttereth, or is pouring forth, or is proclaiming speech, or is pronouncing the message, and the night is doing the same, and night after night is proclaiming the knowledge of God. 00:03:51.919 --> 00:04:01.919 All of nature witnessing, speaking, telling the wonders of the glory of God. 00:04:02.800 --> 00:04:08.560 So great until Paul says in Romans 1 that the heathen world is without witness. 00:04:08.639 --> 00:04:19.360 In Romans 1 20, he says, You are without excuse because of the witness of the glory of God in the natural order. 00:04:21.360 --> 00:04:27.839 He goes on in verse 3, and he says, There is no speech nor language. 00:04:28.639 --> 00:04:34.560 Nature has no alphabet or has no verbalization, as we call language. 00:04:34.800 --> 00:04:37.680 Where is added, it ought not be added. 00:04:38.800 --> 00:04:47.199 The King James people sometimes added words which clouded rather than clarified the text. 00:04:47.519 --> 00:04:51.360 There is no speech nor language. 00:04:52.160 --> 00:04:54.560 Their voice is not heard. 00:04:55.519 --> 00:04:59.360 You go out in the daytime and you watch the sun. 00:05:00.399 --> 00:05:03.360 You see the mountains and you see the wonderful world. 00:05:03.519 --> 00:05:05.040 There is no voice. 00:05:06.160 --> 00:05:08.399 But yet there is a message. 00:05:09.920 --> 00:05:13.199 And you go out at night and you see the stars. 00:05:13.360 --> 00:05:14.319 Have you not done that? 00:05:14.399 --> 00:05:16.079 I think all of us have done this. 00:05:16.240 --> 00:05:19.199 We used to do it more as children than we do it now. 00:05:19.360 --> 00:05:32.079 I shall never forget watching the elements as a boy, growing up in eastern North Carolina, where we have the tremendous storm and the fireworks. 00:05:32.240 --> 00:05:34.639 Nothing touched my heart more than that. 00:05:36.240 --> 00:05:37.759 I remember that so well. 00:05:37.839 --> 00:05:40.160 It's one of the most graphic things of my life. 00:05:40.399 --> 00:05:44.480 Or to watch the stars on a countryside. 00:05:45.360 --> 00:05:50.639 I didn't know this was in the Psalms, but I knew that behind it there must be a mind. 00:05:50.879 --> 00:05:54.000 And what a mind there is behind this universe. 00:05:54.160 --> 00:06:02.800 And let me say to you in the university, there is no conflict between the witness of nature and the witness of holy scripture at all. 00:06:03.839 --> 00:06:09.519 The Creator, God, and the Redeemer, God is one, and He does not contradict Himself. 00:06:09.680 --> 00:06:16.879 And I have never worried a moment that true science would ever contradict true Scripture and true. 00:06:18.319 --> 00:06:26.160 It's only when we do not know what science says or we do not know what the scripture says that we find contradiction. 00:06:26.720 --> 00:06:28.959 God cannot contradict himself. 00:06:29.360 --> 00:06:35.680 He speaks in his universe and he speaks in holy scripture, and there are no contradictions. 00:06:37.040 --> 00:06:38.560 Let's move on. 00:06:39.120 --> 00:06:56.639 Their line that means their worldwide witness or their worldwide voice, that is the voice of the created order, is gone out through all the earth and their words to the end of the world. 00:06:57.040 --> 00:07:01.680 He is saying there is no limit to this witness of God in nature. 00:07:01.839 --> 00:07:10.480 It is universal, it is worldwide, it's on all the continents God has spoken in creation. 00:07:11.279 --> 00:07:20.240 In them, that is in the heavens, or in the created order, hath he set a tabernacle or a dwelling place for the sun. 00:07:20.560 --> 00:07:22.079 Why does he single out the sun? 00:07:22.480 --> 00:07:24.240 Because of its prominence. 00:07:37.439 --> 00:07:43.600 Scientists tell us it's burning up, but it is so large that we don't need to lose any sleep about it. 00:07:43.839 --> 00:07:47.040 It's gonna heat the earth for a long time. 00:07:47.279 --> 00:08:02.720 In the heavens, he says, hath he set or placed a dwelling place for the sun, and in verse 5, he uses two words to describe its wonders, which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber. 00:08:04.160 --> 00:08:14.079 And you have here the wonderful sun, and if you've seen the sunrise, it's a pity to be brought up in a large city and not see the sunrise. 00:08:14.240 --> 00:08:24.000 They tell me there are people in New York who've never seen the sunrise and never seen any grass and never seen anything except cement. 00:08:24.160 --> 00:08:25.040 That's sad. 00:08:25.439 --> 00:08:27.920 I shall never forget seeing the sunrise. 00:08:28.160 --> 00:08:32.240 Grew up on a tobacco farm, we literally work from four until eleven. 00:08:32.639 --> 00:08:35.600 We work 13 months out of the year, if it's possible. 00:08:37.840 --> 00:08:45.679 During the rush season, we'd get up and unload the barns at 4 o'clock, and we'd store the tobacco until 11 o'clock. 00:08:46.480 --> 00:08:53.759 And while I've always hated tobacco, I went to two tobacco universities and grew up, and I never saw anything morally wrong with it. 00:08:53.919 --> 00:08:59.519 We sold it and we took it to the tobacco market, and that's the way we lived in the Carolinas. 00:09:00.240 --> 00:09:02.720 Tobacco, not cotton, was king. 00:09:02.879 --> 00:09:09.759 But during those rush seasons when we were getting up before day and staying up until late at night. 00:09:10.879 --> 00:09:18.159 We had a black man helping us, and one day uh he said, you know, he said, I'm working more than 24 hours a day. 00:09:18.399 --> 00:09:22.559 And we said, Well, how in the world uh could you work more than 24 hours a day? 00:09:22.720 --> 00:09:24.159 He said, That's simple. 00:09:24.480 --> 00:09:27.039 We've been getting up before day around here. 00:09:28.080 --> 00:09:29.600 And indeed we did. 00:09:29.759 --> 00:09:31.120 But we saw the sunrise. 00:09:31.200 --> 00:09:38.000 You get up at 4 o'clock, we saw the sunrise, I saw the sunrise day after day, and I saw it set. 00:09:38.240 --> 00:09:43.679 I've been plowing many a time, been on a mule, been on a tractor, and saw the sun set. 00:09:43.919 --> 00:09:44.960 I thank God. 00:09:45.120 --> 00:09:53.360 I talked to my boys about it today, and Darry says, Oh, what our boys have missed, that they didn't see the sunrise, and they didn't see it set. 00:09:53.759 --> 00:09:55.679 That's what he's talking about here. 00:09:55.919 --> 00:10:06.799 He's saying the sun is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and you know the joy of the bridegroom coming out of uh the chamber with his new bride. 00:10:06.960 --> 00:10:13.120 If you have any problem with this, just locate Phil Bennett tonight and look at the smile on his face. 00:10:15.919 --> 00:10:18.799 I don't think I've ever seen the like of it. 00:10:19.519 --> 00:10:22.399 He was like a chandelier today at lunch. 00:10:22.720 --> 00:10:28.080 My goodness! He's lighted up, he's happier than he was before he was married. 00:10:28.320 --> 00:10:31.120 I thought of him when I read this verse. 00:10:31.440 --> 00:10:36.399 And rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race, as an athlete. 00:10:37.039 --> 00:10:40.240 Oh, these metaphors describing the mighty sun. 00:10:40.639 --> 00:10:42.879 This is in holy scripture. 00:10:43.840 --> 00:10:55.440 His going forth or his starting point or his rising, that is the sun's rising, is from the end of the heaven and his circuits until the end of it. 00:10:55.600 --> 00:11:00.639 He's describing the vast journey of the sun across the universe. 00:11:00.879 --> 00:11:04.879 From its rising, and I've seen it, I've seen it in the country. 00:11:05.039 --> 00:11:12.000 You saw it rise in the east, and it went over, and you would see it set behind the trees. 00:11:12.159 --> 00:11:15.759 It's a beautiful thing to see the sun make its journey. 00:11:15.919 --> 00:11:17.679 You follow it in the country. 00:11:18.000 --> 00:11:23.679 Because you can tell when it's lunchtime by the sun and you see it when it rises and you follow it. 00:11:23.759 --> 00:11:28.080 It's one of the most wonderful, intriguing things in all of life is to see that sun. 00:11:28.399 --> 00:11:35.519 The psalmist had seen it, and he says it makes its vast journey, and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof. 00:11:36.799 --> 00:11:37.759 Nothing. 00:11:38.799 --> 00:11:42.240 God's revelation in the universe. 00:11:42.399 --> 00:11:44.879 And you know what Jesus says in the Beatitudes? 00:11:45.120 --> 00:11:49.360 Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. 00:11:49.919 --> 00:11:53.120 The Beatitudes are present, they're also future. 00:11:53.360 --> 00:11:57.840 We are literally going to inherit the earth, but we inherit the earth now. 00:11:58.399 --> 00:12:01.919 Listen, nothing wrong with you taking a vacation at all. 00:12:02.000 --> 00:12:03.600 Don't you ever feel guilty about it? 00:12:04.240 --> 00:12:07.039 Nothing wrong with you going to the mountain. 00:12:07.679 --> 00:12:15.360 Nothing wrong at all in you going out into God's great laboratory and rejoicing. 00:12:15.519 --> 00:12:16.559 It's ours. 00:12:17.039 --> 00:12:18.000 It's ours. 00:12:18.159 --> 00:12:19.440 No one can appreciate it. 00:12:19.519 --> 00:12:21.440 Have you ever stood at the ocean? 00:12:22.240 --> 00:12:26.879 Have you ever stood at the ocean and seen the tides coming in and going back? 00:12:26.960 --> 00:12:28.399 Of course, I was reared on the ocean. 00:12:28.559 --> 00:12:32.080 I missed nothing so much as ocean when I moved to Memphis, Tennessee. 00:12:32.480 --> 00:12:34.159 By the time I got here and forgotten. 00:12:34.720 --> 00:12:37.120 Man, I was sick when I was in Memphis. 00:12:37.360 --> 00:12:45.279 That ocean, that ocean, I have I have I've walked on the ocean at night and just prayed and thanked God. 00:12:45.840 --> 00:12:52.000 Oh, the mystery and the wonders of the ocean and what it'll do for the soul. 00:12:52.240 --> 00:12:56.639 What it will do for the soul, the revelation of God in nature. 00:12:56.720 --> 00:12:58.399 It's ours to enjoy. 00:12:58.559 --> 00:13:00.000 It belongs to us. 00:13:00.960 --> 00:13:05.200 Because we know the Redeemer is the Creator and our Savior made it. 00:13:05.279 --> 00:13:06.000 It's wonderful. 00:13:06.159 --> 00:13:07.519 No one can take a vacation. 00:13:07.759 --> 00:13:11.440 No one can enjoy this world except God's redeemed people. 00:13:11.679 --> 00:13:17.039 Let's move on, verses 7 through 11, and we have the revelation of God in the scripture. 00:13:17.279 --> 00:13:20.480 The first the theologians call general revelation. 00:13:21.360 --> 00:13:24.080 The next they call special revelation. 00:13:24.320 --> 00:13:29.120 You who are going to the seminary, when you get in systematic theology, that'll be the first lecture. 00:13:29.360 --> 00:13:33.120 General revelation versus special revelation. 00:13:33.440 --> 00:13:40.720 He uses seven titles for the word, seven adjectives to describe the word, and seven results of the word. 00:13:40.879 --> 00:13:41.759 How marvelous. 00:13:41.919 --> 00:13:44.159 He says the law, what is the law? 00:13:44.399 --> 00:13:47.759 A comprehensive term for God's revealed will. 00:13:47.919 --> 00:13:49.360 Not just the five books of Moses. 00:13:49.600 --> 00:13:56.000 It is the word Torah, but it's just a comprehensive term for all of God's revealed will in his word. 00:13:56.320 --> 00:13:58.960 He says the law of God is perfect. 00:13:59.120 --> 00:13:59.840 What does that mean? 00:14:00.000 --> 00:14:03.039 It covers every single aspect of our lives. 00:14:04.720 --> 00:14:12.399 There is not an area of our living that the word doesn't touch and tell us how to live. 00:14:13.440 --> 00:14:26.080 Converting, Hebrew scholars say it should be translated, restoring or reviving the nephesh, the soul or the total being. 00:14:26.639 --> 00:14:34.320 The word of God gives life and vitality to the total man, my friend. 00:14:35.279 --> 00:14:41.360 The testimony, the testimony is that truth which is spoken by God personally. 00:14:41.600 --> 00:14:43.440 The testimony of the Lord is sure. 00:14:43.600 --> 00:14:44.639 What does that mean? 00:14:44.879 --> 00:14:50.320 It is absolutely trustworthy, and you can build your life on this foundation. 00:14:50.559 --> 00:14:55.120 It is trustworthy, making wise the simple. 00:14:56.240 --> 00:14:57.679 You want to be wise? 00:14:58.000 --> 00:14:59.519 Know the word of God. 00:15:00.159 --> 00:15:02.480 Know the word of the Lord. 00:15:02.720 --> 00:15:05.759 He goes on in the next couplet, verse 8. 00:15:06.000 --> 00:15:16.320 He says, the statutes are the precepts, and these are the precise commands of God to his people. 00:15:16.480 --> 00:15:18.480 The Bible is full of this. 00:15:18.720 --> 00:15:23.279 He says that the precepts of the Lord are right. 00:15:24.480 --> 00:15:28.639 Meaning there's not anything wrong in the Word of God. 00:15:29.200 --> 00:15:32.159 We have people who are telling us today, there's errors. 00:15:32.320 --> 00:15:33.360 I do not believe that. 00:15:33.600 --> 00:15:35.519 I think that is a misunderstanding. 00:15:35.679 --> 00:15:39.039 I think that every error can be explained. 00:15:39.200 --> 00:15:42.320 That's the great debate in the convention today. 00:15:42.720 --> 00:15:44.720 That there's error in Scripture. 00:15:44.799 --> 00:15:46.320 I do not believe that. 00:15:46.720 --> 00:15:47.759 I do not believe that. 00:15:47.919 --> 00:15:55.840 I believe that all the word of God is right, and I think the thou shalt nots are just as important as the thou shalt. 00:15:56.240 --> 00:16:00.720 When God says thou shalt not, he's saying to us, don't hurt yourself. 00:16:01.440 --> 00:16:05.679 Thou shalt not gossip, he is saying, Don't hurt yourself. 00:16:06.000 --> 00:16:08.960 Thou shalt not have a root of bitterness in your heart. 00:16:09.200 --> 00:16:11.840 Hebrews 12, 15, don't hurt yourself. 00:16:12.080 --> 00:16:13.360 Don't hurt yourself. 00:16:13.600 --> 00:16:17.840 And when he says, thou shalt, he's saying, help yourself to happiness. 00:16:18.080 --> 00:16:19.039 That's what he said. 00:16:19.279 --> 00:16:21.759 The thou shalt not sis, don't hurt yourself. 00:16:21.919 --> 00:16:24.559 The thou shalt is help yourself to happiness. 00:16:24.639 --> 00:16:29.519 When you do what God says, you're gonna be happy, and there's no other way to be. 00:16:29.679 --> 00:16:32.799 And he goes on to say, rejoice in the heart. 00:16:33.519 --> 00:16:40.480 The commandment of the Lord, he says, is pure. 00:16:41.519 --> 00:16:44.559 The commandment is pure, he says. 00:16:45.279 --> 00:16:47.279 Enlighten in the eye. 00:16:48.960 --> 00:16:53.840 The word of God will even put a glow in your eye. 00:16:55.519 --> 00:17:04.079 Listen, you see someone who's dreary-eyed and depressed in his eye, and downcast in his eye. 00:17:04.880 --> 00:17:07.839 That's not a person who's really in the word of God. 00:17:08.480 --> 00:17:16.000 And often, as we come from the word of God, if we've really got into the word of God, listen, we're exploding with energy and vitality. 00:17:17.359 --> 00:17:20.319 Man, the word of God keeps you alive. 00:17:20.559 --> 00:17:22.640 I want to say something to you. 00:17:23.200 --> 00:17:28.079 Out of my own heart, it's the most meaningful thing in vitality in my life. 00:17:28.319 --> 00:17:31.119 The clinicians have asked me one question: How do you do it? 00:17:31.200 --> 00:17:31.680 How do you do it? 00:17:31.759 --> 00:17:33.279 How do you preach five times a son? 00:17:34.480 --> 00:17:36.319 Well, to God be the glory. 00:17:36.720 --> 00:17:44.240 But I would say absolutely that the vitality of my life is in the freshness of the revelation of the word of God. 00:17:44.400 --> 00:17:45.839 That I'm excited. 00:17:46.880 --> 00:17:52.640 I couldn't do it, I couldn't do it at all, except for the excitement of the word of God, the truth that God shows me out of the word. 00:17:52.880 --> 00:17:55.680 It just excites me and makes me live. 00:17:56.559 --> 00:17:57.839 It makes me live. 00:17:58.000 --> 00:18:01.519 That's the way to live, is to say in the word of God. 00:18:01.680 --> 00:18:04.079 It'll even enlighten the eyes, he says. 00:18:04.240 --> 00:18:11.359 Verse 9, the fear of the Lord, and that means the awesome reverence for him is pure. 00:18:11.759 --> 00:18:19.519 Now, fear is not a title for the Lord, uh, for the word, but it is a result of the word. 00:18:20.240 --> 00:18:24.640 If we're really in the word, we will have an awesome fear of God. 00:18:26.799 --> 00:18:32.880 The awesome fear of the Lord is clean or pure, and it is. 00:18:34.400 --> 00:18:42.400 Enduring forever, and he says, the judgments of God are his ordinances. 00:18:42.799 --> 00:18:44.880 That's what he has decreed. 00:18:45.200 --> 00:18:50.559 The ordinances of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. 00:18:50.720 --> 00:18:53.200 Now look what he says in verse 10. 00:18:53.519 --> 00:18:56.720 How important and how valuable is the word of the Lord? 00:18:57.039 --> 00:19:00.400 Is the word of the Lord more important than material things? 00:19:02.000 --> 00:19:05.279 Is it important that we feed upon the word of the Lord? 00:19:05.440 --> 00:19:07.839 That we spend some time in isolation? 00:19:08.960 --> 00:19:14.240 That we have a hideaway where we can go and pray and read the word of God? 00:19:14.319 --> 00:19:15.359 Which is more important? 00:19:15.519 --> 00:19:22.240 The accumulation of material things or the accumulation of the word of God in our hearts? 00:19:22.400 --> 00:19:28.799 Our world believes that there's nothing as valuable as gold, that there's nothing as valuable as food for the stomach. 00:19:28.960 --> 00:19:29.839 What does God say? 00:19:30.000 --> 00:19:31.680 Look at verse 10. 00:19:32.160 --> 00:19:36.160 More to be desired are they than gold. 00:19:37.119 --> 00:19:38.880 Yea, than much fine gold. 00:19:38.960 --> 00:19:39.519 What's the difference? 00:19:39.680 --> 00:19:42.799 The fine gold was that which was especially refined. 00:19:43.359 --> 00:19:48.079 You mean to tell me that the Bible is more valuable than gold? 00:19:49.279 --> 00:19:49.920 Yes. 00:19:51.599 --> 00:19:54.480 Far more valuable than material things. 00:19:54.640 --> 00:19:57.839 There's no treasure in the world that compares with it. 00:19:59.279 --> 00:20:18.160 And then he goes on to say, sweeter also than honey, and the honeycomb, really the drippings of the honeycomb, which was the best part of the honey, that which dripped, dripped, and ran out. 00:20:18.720 --> 00:20:28.799 Now gold is the most precious material thing in the world, and honey, we're told, is the most delightful food that nature produces. 00:20:28.960 --> 00:20:36.799 And the psalmist says, there is no comparison in the treasure of gold and the word. 00:20:37.279 --> 00:20:47.759 And there is no comparison in the taste and the sweetness of the sweetest thing that nature produces, honey, compared to the sweetness of the word of God. 00:20:48.559 --> 00:20:50.160 Isn't that wonderful? 00:20:50.559 --> 00:20:53.839 You know what Job says in Job 23, 12? 00:20:54.000 --> 00:21:03.200 He says, I have esteemed thy word more than my necessary, and that's the word daily food. 00:21:03.519 --> 00:21:04.720 Can you say that? 00:21:05.359 --> 00:21:07.839 I must say that I cannot say that. 00:21:09.039 --> 00:21:13.680 There are times this is true, but there are times it's not true. 00:21:15.599 --> 00:21:18.079 I love to eat physical food. 00:21:20.640 --> 00:21:30.559 The word of God, though, is sweeter and more wonderful than the greatest food that this world can ever, can ever afford. 00:21:30.720 --> 00:21:34.240 And it's more valuable than anything in the world. 00:21:34.480 --> 00:21:45.279 And 95% of every problem in this congregation tonight rests on someone not knowing what the Bible says or not doing what they know the Bible says. 00:21:46.160 --> 00:21:52.480 The word of God is perfect, is telos, which means that it covers every aspect of life. 00:21:52.640 --> 00:21:55.119 What does this remind you of in the New Testament? 00:21:55.359 --> 00:21:59.519 Some of you, and some of you are good theologians, Brother Stebbins. 00:22:00.480 --> 00:22:02.079 I believe he's a theologian. 00:22:02.160 --> 00:22:04.960 I heard him say yesterday that repentance is a gift. 00:22:05.279 --> 00:22:09.279 I said to Brother Tom Newton, he's bound to be a reformed theologian. 00:22:09.599 --> 00:22:11.039 A man that would say that. 00:22:11.279 --> 00:22:13.680 A classic Calvinist, I believe he is. 00:22:13.759 --> 00:22:16.240 I'm going to meet with him at 9.15 and check him out. 00:22:16.319 --> 00:22:17.599 But I believe he is. 00:22:19.119 --> 00:22:20.559 I believe he is. 00:22:21.680 --> 00:22:29.440 This confirm 2 Timothy 3, 16 and 17. 00:22:29.599 --> 00:22:30.240 Do you know it? 00:22:30.319 --> 00:22:31.839 Here's a verse we should know. 00:22:32.480 --> 00:22:52.319 All scripture, all scripture is God-breathed and is useful for doctrine, reproof, correction, instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect. 00:22:52.559 --> 00:22:54.319 See this word perfect again? 00:22:54.720 --> 00:22:57.119 See how the scripture ties in? 00:22:57.599 --> 00:22:58.319 Perfect. 00:22:58.559 --> 00:22:59.759 That is complete. 00:22:59.920 --> 00:23:02.720 The word of the God is God is perfect. 00:23:04.640 --> 00:23:09.279 Thoroughly furnished, the Greek verb is equipped. 00:23:10.319 --> 00:23:13.279 Thoroughly equipped unto every good word. 00:23:13.519 --> 00:23:15.680 My goodness, what a statement that is. 00:23:15.839 --> 00:23:18.640 And this is what the scripture says here tonight. 00:23:18.799 --> 00:23:23.599 And it's more valuable than the finest gold, it is sweeter than honey. 00:23:23.839 --> 00:23:27.200 Moreover, by them is thy servant worn. 00:23:28.400 --> 00:23:36.400 Not only is it a positive force and a sweetness to the soul, but in it we are warned. 00:23:36.480 --> 00:23:39.680 You know what John Bunyan wrote in the front of his Bible? 00:23:40.480 --> 00:23:47.119 This Bible will keep you from sin, or sin will keep you from this Bible. 00:23:47.680 --> 00:23:49.599 Young people, that's true. 00:23:49.920 --> 00:23:54.960 If you will stay in the Word of God, you will stay away from sin. 00:23:55.920 --> 00:24:05.839 Psalm 119, verse 11 says, Thy word have I hid in my heart that I may not sin against God. 00:24:06.000 --> 00:24:12.480 And in the Hebrew, it says, unless I hide the Word of God in my heart that I'm going to sin against God. 00:24:12.880 --> 00:24:16.960 We can't keep from sinning against God unless we know the Word of God. 00:24:17.119 --> 00:24:19.599 And we need the warning of the Word of God. 00:24:19.839 --> 00:24:23.680 And the pastor has to preach messages of warning at times. 00:24:23.759 --> 00:24:27.279 That's not negativism, that's positive truth, which we need to hear. 00:24:27.440 --> 00:24:30.640 You study the word of God, and it will warn you. 00:24:31.119 --> 00:24:34.559 It will warn you not to have certain attitudes. 00:24:34.720 --> 00:24:36.640 It will warn you not to do certain things. 00:24:36.720 --> 00:24:41.440 It will absolutely keep us under conviction and cleanse our souls. 00:24:41.519 --> 00:24:43.839 And so he says that in verse 11. 00:24:44.000 --> 00:24:47.119 And in keeping of them there is great reward. 00:24:49.200 --> 00:24:52.400 The rewards cannot even be mentioned, but you can't fail. 00:24:52.559 --> 00:24:54.240 You can't fail when you keep the word of God. 00:24:54.400 --> 00:25:03.119 Young people, if you want to succeed in life, get into the word of God, stay in it, and do what the word says, and you will absolutely head the list. 00:25:03.359 --> 00:25:06.720 You'll lead your class and your business and everything. 00:25:07.039 --> 00:25:08.880 God has promised this. 00:25:09.119 --> 00:25:11.279 Who can understand his arrow? 00:25:13.200 --> 00:25:14.079 Who can? 00:25:14.480 --> 00:25:16.799 Cleanse thou me from secret faults. 00:25:16.960 --> 00:25:18.799 Who can understand his own heart? 00:25:19.039 --> 00:25:19.920 Nobody. 00:25:27.599 --> 00:25:29.920 Deceitful above all things. 00:25:30.720 --> 00:25:32.480 Jeremiah 7.19. 00:25:32.640 --> 00:25:34.079 Who can know it? 00:25:34.799 --> 00:25:36.559 I don't even know my own heart. 00:25:36.720 --> 00:25:43.680 You don't even know your own heart unless the searchlight of the Word of God shines into our hearts. 00:25:43.839 --> 00:25:44.720 We don't know. 00:25:46.000 --> 00:25:58.240 But listen, if we'll come and hear the word when it's preached and taught in Sunday school, and we will study this word all we can, I will guarantee, my friends, that things that are hidden in our lives will be revealed. 00:25:58.400 --> 00:26:06.480 And when they are, we need not to resist, but we need to repent and to be cleansed of these things. 00:26:06.720 --> 00:26:08.960 Secret things are in our hearts. 00:26:09.119 --> 00:26:11.279 We're blind to our own selves. 00:26:11.680 --> 00:26:14.240 It's the word of God he's talking about. 00:26:14.400 --> 00:26:16.960 Who can understand his errors? 00:26:17.119 --> 00:26:19.039 Cleanse thou me from secret faults? 00:26:19.200 --> 00:26:22.000 The only way in the world is through the written word of God. 00:26:22.240 --> 00:26:25.920 Keep back thy servants also from presumptuous sins. 00:26:26.000 --> 00:26:28.319 Now he's mentioned a second type of sin. 00:26:28.480 --> 00:26:31.200 The first sin is sin of ignorance. 00:26:31.519 --> 00:26:34.480 Here is a second type: presumptuous sins. 00:26:34.640 --> 00:26:35.279 What are they? 00:26:35.519 --> 00:26:39.359 Sins willfully, arrogantly, and pridefully committed. 00:26:39.519 --> 00:26:43.680 Did you know there was no sacrifice in the Old Testament for presumptuous sins? 00:26:44.400 --> 00:26:47.920 This is what the Hebrews call sinning with a high hand. 00:26:48.400 --> 00:26:49.920 No sacrifice. 00:26:51.119 --> 00:26:58.079 Like the person who meditates in his heart to commit adultery or murder. 00:26:58.799 --> 00:27:00.319 No sacrifice. 00:27:00.720 --> 00:27:01.839 No sacrifice. 00:27:02.079 --> 00:27:08.240 This is the most serious sin in all the world, is that which is willful and deliberate and premeditated. 00:27:08.720 --> 00:27:14.480 It's forgiven in the grace and goodness of Jesus, which shows an improvement over the old covenant. 00:27:14.640 --> 00:27:16.000 But he is talking about that. 00:27:16.160 --> 00:27:18.640 He says, Let them not have dominion over me. 00:27:18.880 --> 00:27:23.599 Then shall I be upright and I shall be innocent from the great transgression. 00:27:23.759 --> 00:27:25.839 What is the great transgression? 00:27:26.799 --> 00:27:29.839 It's sinning against the revealed will of God. 00:27:30.559 --> 00:27:32.400 That's the great transgression. 00:27:32.640 --> 00:27:34.480 That's sin of presumption. 00:27:35.359 --> 00:27:46.720 And I hope that no one will be guilty here tonight because when we willfully sin against the revealed will of God, that's the most serious sin in all the world. 00:27:46.960 --> 00:27:51.359 Now we're not we're not excused because we're ignorant, because we got a Bible. 00:27:52.400 --> 00:28:02.079 And this is one reason that we ought not to hear the word preached by our pastor once a month, but we ought not miss the worship service if possible. 00:28:02.319 --> 00:28:15.279 If you love your Sunday school class, you need to get them into the preaching of the word because the pastor will have a word that you don't have and will have an authority under God to exhort that you don't have. 00:28:15.440 --> 00:28:22.559 If you want to develop your people, tie your class to the worship service, the worship service type to the class. 00:28:22.720 --> 00:28:24.880 That's the thing that works. 00:28:25.200 --> 00:28:28.880 This church ought to be full every service. 00:28:29.680 --> 00:28:36.880 With people who are here going to Sunday school, Sunday school, coming here, hearing all the word we can. 00:28:37.599 --> 00:28:51.359 All the word from various directions and various gifts that we might know what it says, that we might be warned, that we might do it, and above all, that we not commit the great transgression. 00:28:51.599 --> 00:28:56.079 And then in verse 14, he applies it to himself. 00:28:56.319 --> 00:28:57.119 A summary. 00:28:57.279 --> 00:28:58.799 This is used in ritual. 00:28:59.119 --> 00:29:07.519 First time I ever heard this, used in a very ritualistic episcopal service, but it's the great truth of God. 00:29:07.759 --> 00:29:21.440 Let the words of my mouth, let the spoken words of my mouth and the meditation, the inner thoughts of my heart be acceptable. 00:29:21.599 --> 00:29:23.759 And that's a sacrificial word. 00:29:24.799 --> 00:29:40.400 Let the words which I speak and the thoughts which I think be so true and be so in accord with the word, that's what he's saying, that they will be a sacrifice unto God. 00:29:41.680 --> 00:29:43.920 My, what a statement that is. 00:29:44.559 --> 00:29:50.400 Is what you're saying with your lips something you can present to God as a holy sacrifice? 00:29:52.240 --> 00:29:56.559 Are the thoughts of your heart are they acceptable to God? 00:29:56.799 --> 00:29:58.559 Can you present them to God? 00:30:00.960 --> 00:30:07.519 Better that our inner thoughts be right and the outward speech be wrong. 00:30:07.839 --> 00:30:08.480 Really? 00:30:08.640 --> 00:30:12.960 It would be better to talk wrong than to have the inner man wrong. 00:30:14.000 --> 00:30:16.960 And sometimes there are those who speak good. 00:30:17.759 --> 00:30:20.079 But that inner man, it's not there. 00:30:20.559 --> 00:30:24.880 But you see what he does, he brings together the outward and the inward. 00:30:25.039 --> 00:30:26.240 That's the man of God. 00:30:26.400 --> 00:30:27.759 That's the man in the word. 00:30:28.319 --> 00:30:38.559 Let the words of my mouth and let the meditation of my hearts be an acceptable sacrifice to a holy God. 00:30:38.799 --> 00:30:42.000 Oh Lord, my strength, that's the word rock. 00:30:42.160 --> 00:30:43.039 What does that mean? 00:30:43.359 --> 00:30:44.240 Refuge. 00:30:44.559 --> 00:30:46.720 You know why they spoke of that? 00:30:47.039 --> 00:30:56.720 Because they often went into the caves when the storms came, when the wild animals they rushed into the caves of the rocks. 00:30:56.960 --> 00:31:03.839 Oh, God is such a cave, such a rock for us in the stormy place. 00:31:04.079 --> 00:31:04.960 He's the rock. 00:31:05.119 --> 00:31:09.839 We sing that uh in this praise song that Randy loves him, which I love. 00:31:10.000 --> 00:31:10.880 He's our rock. 00:31:10.960 --> 00:31:13.440 But not only is our rock, he's our redeemer. 00:31:13.519 --> 00:31:19.359 He's our G-O-E-L, He's our kinsman, Redeemer, He's the one that's purchased us out of sin. 00:31:19.519 --> 00:31:31.440 For as much as you know that you were not redeemed by corruptible things as silver and gold, but by the precious blood of Jesus as of a lamb without spot and without blemish. 00:31:31.680 --> 00:31:35.519 This should be the testimony of every child of God tonight. 00:31:35.759 --> 00:31:47.119 The words of our mouth and the meditation of our hearts, being a holy sacrifice unto God, who is our refuge, our rock, but also our blessed redeemer. 00:31:47.440 --> 00:31:48.480 Is he your rock? 00:31:48.640 --> 00:31:49.759 Is he your redeemer? 00:31:49.920 --> 00:31:52.400 He must be your redeemer before he can be your rock. 00:31:52.559 --> 00:31:53.599 Do you know him tonight? 00:31:53.759 --> 00:31:56.240 Have you received him as your personal Savior? 00:31:56.559 --> 00:31:58.480 God is speaking to so many hearts. 00:31:58.720 --> 00:32:03.599 You say, No, I don't know him really as my redeemer, and therefore I don't have him as my rock. 00:32:03.759 --> 00:32:04.640 You can know him. 00:32:05.039 --> 00:32:09.279 You must believe that Jesus died for you, died on the cross for you. 00:32:09.440 --> 00:32:20.240 He was buried in a grave for you, he arose again for you, and there's salvation there for you if you will repent, which means to admit that you're lost and say, Lord, I'm willing. 00:32:20.400 --> 00:32:21.519 I'm willing to turn. 00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:24.240 And then by faith, invite him into your heart. 00:32:24.400 --> 00:32:26.480 And then to openly confess. 00:32:26.960 --> 00:32:27.920 Do it tonight. 00:32:28.160 --> 00:32:33.279 If you're here tonight, you're a member of another church, God's impressed you to unite with us. 00:32:33.440 --> 00:32:33.759 Come. 00:32:33.920 --> 00:32:36.319 If you've confessed Christ during the week, come. 00:32:36.480 --> 00:32:39.279