Beyond Sunday
Welcome to Beyond Sunday, the Podcast that takes you deeper into the Word of God throughout your week, with your Hosts Pastors' Lee and Jim.
It's Time to Inspire, Uplift, and dig deeper. Beyond Sunday starts now!
Beyond Sunday
Righteous vs. Ungodly: The Two Paths in Psalm 1
Choices determine destiny. In Psalm 1, we discover a vivid portrait of two paths that ultimately lead to dramatically different outcomes. Pastors Jim and Lee unpack this powerful psalm verse by verse, revealing the stark contrast between the righteous person who flourishes and the ungodly who fade away.
What exactly makes someone "blessed" according to Scripture? It's not just casual happiness but a deep fulfillment that comes from being right with God. We explore how the righteous person avoids the downward spiral that begins with walking in ungodly counsel, then standing with sinners, and finally sitting with scoffers. Instead, they find genuine delight in God's Word, meditating on it constantly.
The most striking image in this psalm compares the righteous to "a tree planted by streams of water." We dive into what this metaphor reveals about spiritual nourishment, stability, and fruitfulness. Where are you planting your roots? This question becomes central as we consider how many Christians today want the blessings without the commitment—like wanting to be near the pool without getting wet.
While many may look at those living ungodly lives and see apparent success, Scripture presents them as "chaff that the wind drives away"—without substance, stability or lasting impact. Yet this sobering contrast isn't meant to create a smug separation between "us" and "them." As we emphasize throughout this episode, every Christian was once on that other side, which is precisely why we're called to compassionately reach others with the truth.
The path you choose matters eternally. Are you delighting in God's Word? Are you producing spiritual fruit? Or are you being blown wherever the cultural winds take you? The invitation stands: choose the path of the righteous, plant yourself by living waters, and watch as God produces lasting fruit through your life.
Welcome to Beyond Sunday, the podcast that takes you deeper into the Word of God throughout your week with your hosts, pastors Lee and Jim. It's time to inspire, uplift and dig deeper. Beyond Sunday starts now. Hey, welcome back, everybody, to another episode of Beyond Sunday. What everybody might not know is that myself and Pastor Lee have been out for three weeks, so we're actually excited to be back in this studio. Today. We're going to be diving deep into a truth that we're going to pull out of Psalm 1. And if you've ever wondered what the difference is between the righteous and the ungodly, psalm 1 is going to give us a very clear contrast. I'm excited to go through it, and as we do go through it, we're going to see the choices that each of us face in our walk with God. So I'm ready to get started. Pastor Lee, do you want to go ahead and read Scripture?
Speaker 2:Yeah, absolutely, brother, and it is good to be back. As you mentioned, we've been gone. I was down in Georgia at Pastor Jensen Franklin's church for a little bit. We were down together in North Carolina at the Billy Graham Evangelical Training Center. So we've had a wonderful, wonderful time away, just being refreshed in the Lord and enjoying fellowship with one another. And now it's time to do it. Let's get right in.
Speaker 2:Today, pastor Jim, we're going to be reading probably one of my favorite psalms in the entire book of the collection of psalms. It's Psalm 1. It's a shorter psalm, it's only six verses, but man, it's packed full of so much stuff. So, psalm 1, 1 through 6, here we go. Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers, but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away. Therefore, the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous, for the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish. You know, this psalm points out the two teams at play in our world today.
Speaker 2:Pastor Jim, this may take some time for folks to understand, maybe it won't, it may make some folks uncomfortable, maybe it won't, but you know, my style is to call it as it is Truth is a truth and that's what we talk about here, right?
Speaker 2:So the two sides, or the two teams that this psalm is speaking of is sinners and saints, saints being the Christians right, those who are following and walking with Jesus Christ. Sinners, those living in the world with no desire whatsoever to walk with God. And saints, as I just mentioned, christians who claim Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and they're actually walking with their Lord, they're growing in step with their faith, they're reading the Word, they're praying, they are communicating not just with Jesus as Savior, but also with other Christians and having relationships within the church and growing, but also with other Christians and having relationships within the church and growing. So we're going to look at those two different groups today and just take a look at what this psalm has to say about it, what we can grow and how we can learn from it. In a nutshell, this particular psalm focuses on God's Word and how those who do what it says will receive ultimately the blessing of God, while those who reject God's word are going to wind up receiving judgment. Yep.
Speaker 1:So first we're going to be introduced to the righteous person right, and that's the one who's blessed by God. And when we say blessed, we're talking about more than just a casual happiness right. The Hebrew word here is esher, and what esher means is supremely happy or fulfilled. And I like that fulfilled piece because it's that contentment that goes beyond circumstances. It's about being right with God. Period. You could be happy in any situation that you are right with God in. So here's the key.
Speaker 1:Verse 1 tells us what the righteous man has or does not do. He doesn't walk through the counsel of the ungodly, he doesn't stand in a path of sinners and he doesn't sit in the seat of the scornful or the scoffers. You see, there's a progression here. First he's going to say the ungodly counsel and then he starts standing in the path of sinners and then before long he's sitting with those who are mocking God. It's this downward spiral and it all begins with that choice. The righteous man stays far away from those steps. He knows that the counsel of the ungodly can sound appealing, but ultimately it's going to lead through this downward spiral, so he doesn't let it shape his way of thinking.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you know, I would like to say this Our blessing does not come while living and participating inside the parameters of sinful behavior, right? So now, before one of our listeners tunes us out and turns off the podcast because they think we're being too religious, let me put it to you like this this is kind of the example as I was just preparing for today's episode. This is kind of the example that the word picture, if you will, the word image that I got. I can go to a swimming pool and the pool can be full of water, right, you with me. But I'll never get wet from head to toe unless I fully commit and jump into the water All the way in, right? So I know some people who don't like to get wet. Right, they just like to go sit beside the pool. They just like to be part of the environment of the pool. I'm just going to go sit there and relax in the sun. And those same people, if they get splashed by people having fun in the pool, well, they want to get all upset. They're upset because, hey, they got wet while they're relaxing outside the pool. But my mindset is you're at the pool. That's one of the things that you could just going to have to come in contact with is water getting splashed outside of the pool. So we can relate this scenario to what God's Word is teaching us here, right, if I want the blessing, I have to go to where the blessing flows, right. I cannot expect the fullness of the blessing if I'm not doing what it takes to receive, pastor Jim, the full blessing, right?
Speaker 2:So part of the problem that we have today, even within the body of Christ, within the church, we have too many Christians that want to receive the blessing of God. They just don't want to do what God requires of us to receive the full blessing of the hand of God. So we've got a lot of Christians who just want to sit around the pool, right, but don't want to jump into the pool. They want to be around church, they want to kind of sometimes come to church, but they don't want to actually be involved with church. And really what they're not understanding is is that they themselves literally are the church.
Speaker 2:So their mindset is I want to be a Christian, but I don't want to be too religious of a Christian. You know, I want to get into the house of God, but I don't know that I want to be used within the house of God, like, hey, I want to get by the pool but don't splash on me. You know, I want the enjoyment of what's going on at the pool, but don't get me wet, and that type of person. They enjoy the view of Christianity. This is how I like to put it. They enjoy the view of Christianity, but they will not sell out and live the full life of Christianity.
Speaker 1:Yeah. So what does the righteous man do, right? Verse 2 says his delight is in the law of the Lord. The righteous man delights in God's word. It's not this casual reading, it's like this deep, heartfelt level of joy, you know, like what makes you truly happy. And if we look at that and we say, okay, well, what excites me? Well, for the righteous person, that answer is God's word, that answer is God, that answer is jumping full force, pledge into the pool and getting completely submerged in the Word of God and in this relationship with Christ.
Speaker 1:The Bible is the delight of his heart, is what the Word says and it's the thing that he looks to for guidance, it's the thing that we look to for our joy and it's the thing that we look to for our satisfaction. And he doesn't just read it once and move on, all right. No. Verse 2 says he meditates on it day and night. The righteous person is going to fill his mind with God's word, and this is where it gets really important.
Speaker 1:Meditation is not about emptying your mind, like some other practices teach. It's actually about filling your mind with God's truth. That's a good word. It's thinking deeply about what the Word of God says and then applying it to your life and then praying it back to God in those quiet spaces. Because if you really love something, you don't have to force yourself to do it right. If you really truly love something, it's going to flow naturally. That's how it is with the righteous person and the Word of God. He's not just reading the Bible to check off a box, he is meditating on it. The Word says day and night. And when you do that, you're going to begin to see fruit in your life.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you know, because when I think about delighting in the Word of God, I'm thinking about how I've read it and now, throughout my day, I'm considering what I read in the Word that morning, in my quiet time with the Lord. I'm considering what I read in the word that morning, right In my quiet time with the Lord. I'm considering it all throughout my day. I am taking time and I'm meditating on that. I am working that in and throughout my life as I move forward in my day, and what I find is is that it's like that word will stay on the forefront of my mind Right, you know what I mean? Like it's not going anywhere, it's at the forefront. So, whatever I face throughout the schedule of that day, that word is sitting right up front and that's how I need to go about my day, so I can focus on how to react in the day.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and what's cool about that is you and me hang out a lot right, just by virtue of our relationship with the church and things that we do. But we're friends outside of all that anyway. Right, that's right. I love that you share those things with me, because then the same nugget that God blessed you with, you share it with me. You've been stewing on it all day. But then when you give it to me, I start thinking about it. And guess what? I'm thinking about it so much that I tell somebody else about it and all of a sudden, what God gave you in the morning, one you gave to me and then I'm giving it to somebody else and it's just chain reaction?
Speaker 2:Absolutely, man. And that's what's so beautiful about a word that is alive and well, it's living, it's active, sharper than any two edged sword, and so you can give a verse to someone and it just carries right into their life like you're talking. I just think it's an absolute beautiful thing. But I can also look at it like this Our faith is contagious.
Speaker 1:Absolutely.
Speaker 2:You know. So, as the Lord teaches you something, or me something, we share one another with other people. It's a contagious thing, you know, and it grows and it benefits and it blesses. Verse three says he is like a tree planted by streams of water. Speaking about this, the righteous one, right, the righteous person who is doing what God has called them to do. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season and its leaf does not wither. Now, that's good news. His leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.
Speaker 2:The blessing of God in my life and this is what I want our listeners to understand, the blessing of God in my life is not simply to benefit me. That blessing is not just for me to take and hoard in my pocket, right, it's not just my blessing, it is to point to God for His glory, and it should, because of that, also be a benefit to others around me as well. Just like you just shared, pastor Jim, when the Lord shares something with me, and I'm going to share that nugget with you, I'm going to share that verse with you. I'm not to just hold on to that and you're not to just hold on to it. As we get it, we are to share it. I'm reminded when it comes to the blessing not just being for us. I'm reminded of what it is a tree that produces fruit for others to enjoy, right?
Speaker 2:I think about a farm that my family goes on every fall to the mountains and they've got apple trees all over, all over these particular mountains. People travel from afar. I've met people from outside other states that come to this particular farm just to pick apples off these trees. So younger people come pick and they're picking the branches that they can reach, just the lower branches. And then you've got your middle-aged folks, you know that aren't fully grown yet but they're not young either and they're kind of picking that middle of the ground, of the tree, if you will. You know those middle branches. And then you've got the older, taller people and they're actually getting up, getting to the higher branches. But then you've got the top of these trees right and they're just apple trees. They're not huge yet, you know.
Speaker 2:So what you see is you see dads, grandfathers, they're taking children and grandchildren, putting them on their shoulders for teamwork to go up and get the tallest of the fruit right, and oftentimes that's what's left, because these trees have been picked over so much that you know you've got to be tall to reach the good fruit that's still left on these trees, and I really see that, just like the analogy with the fruit on these trees. This is also how we can apply the blessing of God in our lives. It's not just for me, but I'm to have this fruit on branches that I can give and bear to other people, as God has so faithfully given it to me. I want to offer godly fruit to others to bless them, but also, while blessing them, pointing to God, not taking any credit for myself, but saying it's God that did this and I can only give you this fruit because he's provided this fruit to me.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and when you're rooted in God's Word like that and you're delighting and you're meditating on it. These are the blessings that you just talked about, that we are able to not only receive for ourselves but, yeah, I mean give to others. I love that idea of being planted by the river of water. It's this image of the tree, right, that's got a constant source of water that's never going to dry up, so therefore the tree's never going to wither. And that's speaking about the Word of God. That thing doesn't get old, it doesn't get outdated, it's constantly got a flow of life sourcing through it, and so it's always fruitful, abundantly fruitful. So it's not just us that receives, it's all those people around us. And that's exactly what a righteous person's life looks like. He's constantly being nourished by the Word of God and because of that he's going to bear fruit in the season.
Speaker 1:And I think sometimes we can get discouraged when we're living righteously and we don't see any fruit right away. But again, fruit comes in the season. There's not fruit in the winter, right, we have to wait for spring, and then some trees do blossom in the fall, and things of that nature. But what we can't do is get into this space where we're discouraged because we don't see it right away. We need to be faithful, to continue to be planted by the river so that we can be in God's word and receive this blessing, which is the fruit?
Speaker 2:Yeah, and I think it. I think it's worth bringing this point up. We've touched on it just a piece but really haven't said it in this way. Where you plant yourself does matter, right, Like you put yourself in good soil, you get your roots down in some good soil and it makes all the difference in the world. You know, I think about sidewalks and how sidewalks have those expansion joints, those cracks that are pre-cut in them. Yeah, and over time a little bit of soil gets in there, and then you're mowing your lawn, cutting your grass, and all of a sudden a seed from a weed or grass throws over in there. Some rain hits it, Some sunshine hits it and before you know it you've got a weed coming out through that hard surface. But that weed is only going to do but so much because it doesn't have a good base for the roots to go down and hit. So where we do plant ourselves absolutely matters.
Speaker 2:If we get ourselves into a church that's not opening up the Bible—you know, I had somebody just this past week, Pastor Jim, tell me that they know someone who attends a church where the pastor doesn't even bring the Bible up on the pulpit. You know, and to me that's terrible. What other reason are we there for? I'm not there for a motivational speech, and myself, as a pastor, I'm not there to give anyone a motivational speech either. I want to give someone the words of life that can change their life forever, Amen. And so I think it's important that we consider where we plan ourselves matter.
Speaker 2:I've had people tell me we want to come to your church so bad, but we don't, because we're still going to church where grandma goes to church, you know, but we really don't like going to that church because it's only like 20 people left. There's no children there, but we're just going there so we don't crush grandma's heart. You know Well, to me I say this in love, but I think that the best thing that grandma should want is her grandchildren and great-grandchildren going to a place where they can drop down roots and they can really thrive, you know. So what are we doing here? Who and what are we living this life for while we're here on this earth? It needs to be about King Jesus. Pastor Jim, you know we've got to know that where we drop these roots really does matter, because that's going to be dependent upon what type of fruit we get out of our lives. It's dependent upon where we're dropping the roots, that's right, that is so, so good.
Speaker 1:Like, where are you planting your roots? Are you by that river of flowing water? So, flipping to the other side of this for a moment, though, you know talking about the ungodly. In verse 4, it says the ungodly are not like this. Okay, so this chaff is the light, worthless part of the grain that gets blown away when it's winnowed and it doesn't have any substance. So it's this sharp contrast of the tree that we just talked about, the one that provides much fruit.
Speaker 1:The ungodly might look like they have it all together, but at the end, their life is actually empty, it's fleeting, and they're like chaff, being carried away with everywhere the wind blows and there's no stability, there's no depth, and they might look successful, but on the outside, there's nothing lasting in their lives, because it's a lot like what you just said about those people who are planted in those dying churches. Right, and this isn't some idea to try to get people away from wherever they're at. What I'm saying is, if you are in a place right now where you're grounded not by a river of flowing life, which is the Word of God grounded in Him, then at the end of the day, there's not going to be any stability or any depth for your roots to go down deep and grab hold of, and you're just going to be. You're going to wither and you're going to be blown away.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, absolutely Can I just, you know, let our listeners know. I just want to remind you, folks, that we all used to be part of that wicked team as well, right, like, none of us were born saved already. Right, we came out of the womb a sinner, we were born into sin. So I think it's important that when we talk about, kind, of the two sides that this psalm presents to us, the two different teams, if you will, we don't get so close-minded that we don't open our arms to the other team and say, hey, we're not going to accept the foolishness, but we love every one of you and we want to bring you over to this team. We want to bring you over.
Speaker 2:You know, I'm reminded of football teams or basketball or baseball teams. Everybody gets their team and they're just ride or die for that team, and I think, as Christians, that's not what we want to do. When it comes to Christianity and our faith, we've got to remember that, yes, there is this other team that, by the way, we used to be part of, but now it's our job to bring them over to this side, like someone brought us over to this side, right? So I do want to throw that out there that. You know these folks are living in sin, just like we used to live in sin. You know we used to be part of that wicked thing that was taking place. We were not born by that tree down by the water. You know that we're talking about here in this word picture, but we want to bring everybody there so that they too can plant their roots into that stream of water and they can get good fruit as well.
Speaker 1:My desire, ultimately, is I want to be on a winning team and I want everybody to win with me. So come get on the winning team.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's right, that's right. Verses four, five and six says this the wicked are not so. So we've talked about the righteous and now we're shifting thought transition here. The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away. Therefore, the wicked will you know we often see with the ungodly.
Speaker 1:They may look like they're prospering right now and I've actually had people say, man like well, it seems like it's a whole lot easier not to be a Christian. They ain't worried about all these things and they're being successful. But the truth is the end for them is destruction. Yeah, you know, it says that the ungodly are not going to stand in judgment and the truth is it goes right back to that foundation. They got nothing to stand on. You know they're going to be found wanting. They may have now, but when judgment comes they're going to be found wanting. They'll have nothing solid to stand on. They'll have no foundation to hold them up. They won't have Christ standing in the gap for them. They're not going to be a part of the righteous. So their success is temporary and their joy is ultimately fleeting.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and I think it's our job as Christians, who have been saved from drowning in the river, if you will, of the world, that river of sin. I think it's our job as Christians that we throw those people that are still on that side drowning a flotation device and literally jump in and save them. I'm reminded of Jude, chapter 1. Well, there's just one chapter in Jude. It's a short book, but Jude, verses 22 and 23, says "and have mercy on those who doubt. Save others by snatching them out of the fire. To others, show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh".
Speaker 2:So let's not forget, saints, that we too started out to be a sinner. But when I throw that life raft out there and when I go over and I jump in and I'm going over to help them, I cannot get caught up in participating with the foolishness that they're doing. It's my job not to go over there and hang out. It's my job to go over there, preach the truth, try to lead them to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ and to shine the light, to be the salt and light and let them know, in love, that God has so much better for them.
Speaker 1:Yeah, we're pointing them towards Jesus, and that's exactly what verse six is going to tell us. Man, for the Lord, knows the way of the righteous Right. So what we need to do is that the righteous, in order for them to rest in the same peace that we have, they got to know God's way. Yeah, right. So they got to know that he's watching over them, that he's going to guide them, that he's going to protect them. But we need to know him intimately in order to do that, because once we do, he's going to preserve us. So, the way of the ungodly it leads to destruction and they may be on the broad path now, but at the end of the day, we want to get them onto that narrow path. So, in closing, which way are you on? You know it's something to really truly consider. Are you walking on the righteous path? Are you delighting in God's Word? Are you rooted and bearing fruit, or are you on the path of the ungodly, which really has no foundation? The choice is yours and it's not too late to choose wisely.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I'm reminded of a scripture that I shared in church this morning where, matthew 28, 16, jesus is speaking and he gives them the call of the Great Commission. And actually we'll just get going in the 17th verse, matthew 28, 17. And when they saw him, they worshiped him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of age.
Speaker 2:And what a blessing it is that we have the opportunity to go out and to lead people, to make disciples of all nations, to share with them. As, pastor Jim, as you just said, we're to share with them. You know what this is all about, as someone so faithfully and graciously shared Christ with us as well. So that's our homework this week, friends. That's our homework is to get out there and be Jesus for someone else that does not yet know who Jesus is, or maybe they don't know how bad they're in need of Jesus as Lord and Savior, father.
Speaker 1:We hope that this message challenges the people listening, lord, god, as it's challenged us here sitting and studying through your word, father. Apart from you, god, we understand that we are nothing. We understand that if we are not on a righteous path, lord, we need to make that choice today. And, father, we want to delight in your word, we want to meditate on your word, we want to live in accordance to your way. Father, would you lead us in a life that is fruitful? Would you lead us in a life that is secure in you? Amen. Well, we want to thank you for listening. As always, it has been an amazing time. I love doing this. What about you?
Speaker 2:Absolutely, brother, to balance with you. As we're sitting here praying and wrapping up, I'm actually thinking about ideas for the next one, you know. So it's just soon as one's over man, just ready to do it again. Yep.
Speaker 1:So thank y'all for listening and we're going to see you next time on Beyond Sunday.
