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The Messiah’s Speech – CCD
Christ Church on September 17, 2023
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Bible Reading, Prayer, & Worship (Workbench of Practical Christianity) (CCD)

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INTRODUCTION

It is a great misfortune that many evangelicals view spiritual growth in a very inorganic way. If a little boy wants to grow to be a great warrior, he needs to do three things: eat, sleep, & breathe. Many view spiritual growth in a very mechanistic way; as if to become more godly they need to add more hardware to themselves. But true growth in godliness comes through a few acts of obedience which spring from evangelical faith: read your Bible, say your prayers, and above all, worship the Triune God.

THE TEXT

Exodus 34:14

For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.

A JEALOUS GOD

We often associate jealousy with sinful attitude. What we often call jealousy would be better described as envy or covetousness. “Jealous” is one of God’s names. This text expands upon the the first commandment, warning Israel that as they enter Canaan they must resist the pull to enter into covenant with the nations which the Lord is going to drive out before them. The ultimate reason for this warning is that such loyalty to the pagan nations is that they will entice Israel into self-willed worship, which is another way of describing idolatry. 

Israel is in covenant with God. For them to break covenant provokes His jealousy. As one theologian points out regarding the sacrificial system under Moses: “The rite speaks of God’s claims on us, whereas what we too often want […] is some kind of claim on God’s mercy, bounty, or gifts.”

SHAPED BY THE WORD

The distinct aroma of the Christian’s life should be the Word of Life. We are not at liberty to live as we pleased, we have been separated unto service. You are not your own.

So in both our private & public worship we must insist upon the grooves of our habits & rituals being biblical. But this is precisely where our internalized sentimentality is rubbed the wrong way. We don’t want to conform to anything other than our own ill-defined grab bag of preferences. 

But if you would serve the living God, you must leave your opinion at the door. You must put your hand over your mouth. You must bend your knee. Most Christians don’t reflect on the fact that much of the OT is a description of how God calls His people to worship Him.

COVENANT RENEWAL 

Our liturgy is shaped by asking the question, how does God expect us to worship Him? When we study Scripture two things emerge in regards to how God deals with His people. First, is that God always deals with man covenantally. Meaning, this world is His and He reveals to us the terms of living in His world, and the blessings which come with living according to His ordering of things, and the curses that will come if you defy Him.

The second thing we see is that the covenant which God brings His people follows a glorious pattern of cleansing, ascending, and communing. This is seen most clearly in the ordering of the three primary levitical offerings. 

The Sin Offering was followed by the Ascension Offering, and the concluding sacrifice was the Peace Offering (Cf. Lev. 9). In the Sin Offering, the caul & the kidneys were offered, and rest of the creature became a portion for the priests, but not the worshipper (Lev. 4:1-5:13). The entire creature, except for the skin, was offered entirely to the Lord in the Ascension/Burnt Offering (Lev. 1:1-17).

But after these were offered, the Peace Offering could be sacrificed. This was a shared meal: the LORD has his portion (Lev. 3:9-11), the priest/mediator received a portion (Lev. 7:31-32), and finally the worshipper partook of this offering (Lev. 7:15). A glorious pattern emerges: God calls us, cleanses us, and consecrates us in order to commune with us.

When Christ took the Passover seder and renovated it into a simple meal of bread and wine, He didn’t disconnect it from what came before. He became the final & all-encompassing sacrifice. 

When we confess our sins at the beginning of our service, we are enjoying Christ as our Sin Offering, His righteousness covers our guilt. When the Word is read & preached to us, and as we lift our various thanksgivings and petitions, in Christ & by Christ our High Priest we are offered up entirely to God. The knife of His Word cuts us up, and the Holy Spirit’s fire consumes us that we might be set apart as priestly kings here upon earth.

Then we come to the Peace Offering which Christ offered on our behalf. This ensured that we might partake with the Father and the Great High Priest of that covenant meal. What Christ offered was the blood of the new testament (Mk. 14:22-24). Having been called, cleansed, consecrated, and enjoying the abundant feast of communion with God Almighty, He commissions us to go forth as ambassadors of this gracious covenant which is offered to all men everywhere.

THE WORD OF LIFE

We begin our week with this ascension into God’s presence, communing with Him and all the saints both here and in Heaven. As we proceed to our various spheres, the duty is to be governed & nourished by the Word. Our worship service is saturated with Scripture, creating grooves in our way of speaking and thinking and living. This ministry of the Word & Visible Word spurs on our daily meditation on the Word which trains us to worship the Lord with skillful understanding (Ps. 47:7)

Trying to walk in accordance with the covenant which we renew here each week, without studying what the covenant calls you to is like fasting for a week before hiking a 14er. You won’t make it far. The Word is our light & our feast.

Regular Bible reading is not just a suggestion. It is mandated by Scripture itself (Deu. 6:6-9; 2 Pt. 3:14-16; Rom. 15:4). The Scriptures fill a man out (2 Tim. 3:17). It illuminates his path (Ps. 119:11). 

BREATHING IN & BREATHING OUT

Every Christian esteems praying, but few pray. To continue an earlier metaphor, the prayerless Christian is like a runner trying to hold her breath while running a long distance race. But evangelical prayer has been muddied in a few ways. Jesus gives a real warning about prayer marked by mindless repetition.

Often believers develop a guilt complex about prayer. So, we can try to generate high quality prayers (“praying until we pray”). The thinking is that if you add a bit of zing & zest to your prayers they’ll get to heaven faster, and the good Lord will be obliged to answer them more quickly. 

We’re also tempted to think that we need to increase the quantity of our prayers. But while it’s our duty to “pray without ceasing,” we ought to understand it rightly, not dip it into an overly sweet piety syrup. Have you ever been paralyzed with the thought that you’re not breathing enough? So then, pray the Lord’s Prayer. Read the Psalms and let the language of them permeate your own prayers. Talk to God. All the time. Tell it all to Him. Ask Him for whatsoever. Intercede for the lost, the orphan, the widow. Breath in and breath out. Pray. Pray. Pray. But don’t be weird about it.

THAT RESTORATION MIGHT COME

When it comes to these basic Christian duties, we should bear in mind that when God gives commands, He is commanding our blessing. He’s the lavish God. When you look at the offerings which are required, the worshipper isn’t obliged to just give a pinch of incense. It’s entire beasts. It’s large casks of wine. It’s fragrant loaves of grain. But these offerings of worship unto God are the result of God’s abundant blessings to Israel.

He increased Abrahams flocks and herds and children. He loaded Israel with all the spoil of Egypt. He filled their barns, filled their wombs, filled their homes. He filled the tabernacle with glory. When we return to God, we find that He is already loading us up with bounty & blessings (Hos. 14). Here is a daily feast. Here is true rest in the courts of Jehovah. Here is the clear air.

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When to Open Your Door (CCD)

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INTRODUCTION

In the short space of this letter, John gives us a vital tutorial in the contrast between friends & enemies of the Gospel. Many modern Christians have no category for what Jesus meant when He commanded us to love our enemies. Broadly speaking, we have no clue we have enemies, we fail to recognize those enemies, and we have no clue that loving them requires us to confront their errors (Cf. Eph. 5:11, 2 Jn. 11).

THE TEXT

1 The elder unto the wellbeloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth. 2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. 3 For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth. 4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. 5 Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren, and to strangers; 6 Which have borne witness of thy charity before the church: whom if thou bring forward on their journey after a godly sort, thou shalt do well: 7 Because that for his name’s sake they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles. 8 We therefore ought to receive such, that we might be fellowhelpers to the truth. 9 I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not. 10 Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church. 11 Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God. 12 Demetrius hath good report of all men, and of the truth itself: yea, and we also bear record; and ye know that our record is true. 13 I had many things to write, but I will not with ink and pen write unto thee: 14 But I trust I shall shortly see thee, and we shall speak face to face. Peace be to thee. Our friends salute thee. Greet the friends by name.

3 John

SUMMARY OF THE TEXT

John’s greeting tells us that this is a personal letter to a beloved saint, Gaius (v1). This well loved friend was, from what is hinted in this letter, a wealthy man; he was able to host the gathering of the saints in his home. Gaius was robustly healthy spiritually, but much of the hospitality burden had fallen to him (due to the inhospitable actions of others). Accordingly, John wishes earthly prosperity & health to him, that he might continue to generously care for the traveling missionaries & saints (v2). This letter is a response to news which John received regarding how Gaius took to heart John’s earlier epistle; steadfast faith in the Gospel, and obedience to the commandments is a true source of joy for Christian leaders (vv3-4). 

Gaius had been a joyful & generous host to an earlier delegation; likely the missionaries who had brought John’s earlier epistles (v5). Down to our own day, this charity is a witness of the godly generosity & hospitality of Gaius (v6). John requests that Gaius once more provide for these missionaries, who were tasked with delivering the current letter (v6b); this delegation were undertaking their ministry for “the name’s sake,” so they were not seeking financial/material support from the Gentiles to whom they were sent to evangelize (v7). John underscores a striking glory of Christian hospitality: by welcoming such saints with the sort of overflowing hospitality which Gaius had shown, we partake of their evangelistic ministry (v8).

The same could not be said of Diotrephes. He had shut his doors to John’s messengers, out of personal arrogance as well as affinity for Cerinthius’ teaching (v9). John assures the faithful saints that he will, if given the opportunity, come and confront Diotrophes for all his sins. These included his hostility to the truth which the Apostles taught, the inhospitable attitude he showed towards faithful ministers, and his power-play to forbid others to show hospitality under threat of expulsion from the church (v10). This, John explains, is evil and not good; and so sternly reminds Gaius and all who would read this letter, that our actions of good or evil are evidence of whether  or not we have seen God (v11). In other words, you will know them by their fruit.

By contrast, Demetrius (presumably, the leader of the delegation John is sending) is commended for maintaining a good report of all men, and most importantly, Demetrius’ testimony holds up when measured against the truth. John adds his own amen to this testimony of Demitrius’ faithfulness, commending him to Gaius as a trustworthy ally (v12). The farewell once more indicates that while distance learning is better than nothing, it is inferior to face to face fellowship and teaching (vv13-14). After all, we are the ecclesia, the gathered. Where Diotrephes was stirring up contention, John blesses Gaius with an exclamation of Gospel peace. Friendships, old & new, are fostered and fortified. And, it might be observed, John reminds us that we should try to remember people’s names (v14). 

HOSPITALITY & HOSTILITY

There’s a curious contrast between 2 John & 3 John. In 2 John, we find John commanding the Elect Lady to not show hospitality to false teachers, while in this letter he sternly rebukes Diotrephes for not showing hospitality, but commends Gaius for being a wonderful example of hospitality. Put this all together and you have a matrix for how to understand the duty of hospitality. Christians must not welcome false teachers into their homes/churches, but they ought to show hospitality to faithful saints. Those who maliciously close their doors to faithful Christians  in need, while getting cozy with false teachers, are in need of sharp–even public–rebuke. 

So then, it becomes evident that hospitality needs a backbone. It needs to be able to refuse hospitality to evil-doers & false teachers. Charity must not be blackmailed by manipulators. Hospitality isn’t an unqualified “yes” to anyone who comes knocking. Even in the OT we have this duty of welcoming the stranger, orphan, and widow, while giving no quarter to idolaters. 

Gaius had manfully shouldered the burden of caring for faithful missionaries, while enduring Diotrephes’ mocking, manipulation, arrogance, and compromise. His doors were open to those who were living “for the Name’s sake”. While Diotrephes closed his doors, because he was concerned for his own name. This becomes a helpful litmus test for measuring someone’s character. Whose name is being exalted?   

DWELLING WITH GOD, HIS SPIRIT INDWELLING WITH YOU

One of the central melodies of John’s writings is how Jesus the Son made it possible for you to dwell with God the Father, because God the Spirit dwells in You. Put simply, abiding in the doctrine of Christ (2 Jn. 9) assures the believer of their union with the Father. If Jesus was not the Son of God come in the flesh, then you don’t have union with the Father. God the Father gave us His Son, and in giving us His Son (who was fully God and fully man) He gives us Himself, and He gives us a new covenant head of humanity. This is the Divine Hospitality. If you trust in the Incarnate Christ, God draws you in. But if you deny the Son, you will face the Divine Hostility. Once more, John confronts us with a fork in the road: what of Jesus?

Now, this doctrine of fellowship with God is born out in our actions. Do we walk in paths of wickedness, or paths of righteousness? John brackets the evil deeds of Diotrephes with the virtuous example of Gaius & Demitrius. Dwelling in God, and God indwelling you, is only possible by Christ. Evildoers will be found railing against Christ, attempting to thwart others from obeying Christ, and welcoming those who reject Christ. This is the central evil of evil. Enmity to God and His Christ, and thus blaspheming His Spirit. But faithful saints, like the Elect Lady, Gaius, and Demitrius demonstrate what it is to abide in Christ and bear the good fruit of hospitality to what is good, and hostility to that which is evil.

HAVE YOU SEEN GOD?

Here, as in all of Scripture, we have the glory of the Gospel. It isn’t our good works that reward us with a sight of God. Rather, if you’ve seen God you will bear good fruit. So, that raises the question, how does one see God? First, God must open your eyes and show Himself to you. He did this by giving us His Son. Jesus asserted this Himself when he told Philip, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father (Jn. 14:9)” Faith looks to Jesus. If you look to Jesus what do you see? There is all your righteousness. There is the one who suffered in your stead. There is glory. There is your eternal joy. There is your only way to the Father.

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Stay the Course (CCD)

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INTRODUCTION

This brief letter from John shouldn’t be perceived as a loose page of Apostolic records which got stapled into the back of the Bible. It is no afterthought. Rather, the sense which this book of the Bible gives is that of a well loved uncle slipping silver dollars to his nieces & nephews. It is both personal and pastoral in its tone, while its content is simple, succinct, and robust.

THE TEXT

The elder unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth; and not I only, but also all they that have known the truth; For the truth’s sake, which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us for ever. Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love. I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father. And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another. And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it. For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward. Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds. Having many things to write unto you, I would not write with paper and ink: but I trust to come unto you, and speak face to face, that our joy may be full. The children of thy elect sister greet thee. Amen.
2 John

SUMMARY OF THE TEXT

John, the aged Apostle, writes to the Elect Lady & her children (v1). This seems to be a personal letter, although a case could be made that he is writing to a specific church and personifies it as a Mother & her children (Cf. Rev. 21:2, 9; Is. 45:1-7, Is. 62:2-5). More likely is that this is a particular woman, who perhaps hosted a church in her home. John greets these saints, expressing his love for them, this love is shared by all who’ve known the truth (v1). The Christian love expressed by John is to be a jewel in the crown of this indwelling and enduring truth (v2). The encouragements and warnings which will follow are set in the context of the Spirit’s work to give to us the grace, mercy, and peace which God sent His Son to procure for us (v3).

John is delighted to encourage this faithful Lady that he has recently met some of her children, and that they were walking in the truth according to the Father’s commandment (v4). This “well done” is followed by a “keep it up.” It is quite clear that John is reminding her of the content of His Gospel & earlier epistle; there’s no new doctrine here, loving one another has been the ethic of God’s people from the beginning (v5). The love which God commands is a love that is loyal to His eternal truth (v6).

Now we come to some warnings. The early church faced no shortage of deceivers, not unlike our own time. While there is a surplus of deceivers, they all have the same boring doctrine in common: Jesus Christ hasn’t come in the flesh (v7). This requires believers to vigilantly “look to yourselves”, in order to not lose the great reward which awaits the faithful (v8). The dividing line in the world is between those who try to hurdle Jesus, and those who abide in Him. Those who abide in Christ’s doctrine have the Father & Son (v9). John’s lengthier first letter stresses how faith in Christ is our certainty of fellowship with the triune God.

This Christian hostess is exhorted to not show hospitality nor even a word of blessing to any such deceivers who seek entry to the body of saints who gathered in her house (vv10-11; Cf. 2 Tim. 3:6,  1 Tim. 5:13). John’s farewell notes that there’s a lot more to be said, but that “face to face” is better (here is a good prooftext for why live-streamed church is less than ideal). Covenant joy between the covenant family is a true glory & joy (vv12-13).

TRUTH & LOVE

Look back at this first section, and see how often we find “truth & love” walking hand in hand. One thing that is made plain is that the love of God is not at odds with the truth of God, and vice versa. Rather, walking in the truth is how we love one another. Living by lies is the quickest way to breed hate & contempt.

Truth is the framing, the love is the furniture. Truth is the bowl, the love is the warm meal it contains. Truth is the skeleton, love is the lifeblood. As Paul teaches, “Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law (Rom. 13:10).” Everything contained in God’s revelation leads us to two duties: loving God & loving our neighbor. But this love is not defined by mere pleasant sensations, but by truth. This is where the modern mantra, “Love is love” becomes a devouring blackhole.

The flip side is also needful. Discernment bloggers may have their five points of Calvinism ironed out, but how do they speak to their wife, how do they give their money to the poor, are their children well loved? Christ came as the incarnation of God’s love for us (1 Jn. 4:9-10), and yet the central glory of His coming was the revelation of grace and truth (Jn. 1:14).

RIVAL CHRISTS

The background of John’s warning is principally the false teaching of Cerinthus. That rascal asserted that “the Christ/divinity” came upon Jesus the man at his baptism, deserting him upon the cross. This falsehood, if embraced, would leave you with an impotent Savior. Jesus would be reduced merely to a good example, not our representative & substitute.

There’s another insidious reality of this sort of false doctrine which we ought not overlook. Denial of Christ’s incarnation is never just a flat denial; rather, it always smuggles in a “Rival Christ”. If a mere man died on a tree, you have no fellowship with God. This leaves you to seek after some other pathway to the divine. Our Lord God, however, has called His church into fellowship with Himself through Christ alone. The Elect Lady has been betrothed to Christ. John wants the early church to cling to this identity as the New Israel of God, and not be seduced by any Rival Christs.

PROGRESSING PAST JESUS

The temptation which John is guarding us against is the temptation to embrace the false doctrine of “Jesus +”. This was clearly a problem in the early church with the various false teachers who were presenting Christ is a good “starting point” but insisting that there was greater illumination & knowledge to be had. Jesus was merely a step along the way, not the central point of it all.

This is still an allure for many professing Christians. They come to Jesus for some reason, but then begin insisting that true flourishing is found beyond Jesus. It’s in this diet. It’s in understanding this secret conspiracy which the world elite have hidden from you. It’s in sexual liberation. It’s in lifting weights, avoiding seed oils, being pronoun inclusive, checking your privilege, and on and on. 

But Jesus is not a static reference point. You can’t treat Him as if he were merely the “you are here” dot on a mall map. He is far too great to be used as a starting point. He will not be confined. He will not be ignored. All attempts to go around Christ the Savior will inevitably still come face to face with Christ the King. 

JESUS ONLY, EVER, ALWAYS

This is what it means to walk in the truth. God lavished His love upon You, in sending us His Son. Thus, Jesus is everything to you. Jesus in your waking and sleeping. Jesus in your work and rest. Jesus, ever, only, always. Don’t let this slip past you, John tells us what awaits those who diligently keep the faith: a full reward. Jesus died in your stead. Rose again by the power of God. By faith, clinging to Him alone, all your days, you receive a full reward. The reward is Christ, and the way to the reward is Christ. 

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The Blessed Life (CCD)

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Introduction

Most folks seek their happiness through subjective whims. “Do what makes you happy” is the motto of man without Christ. But true happiness, true blessedness, isn’t found in the utilitarian’s hedonism. The first Psalm sets the blessed life before us, inviting us out of our own maze of searching for joy, into the straight path of righteousness leading to eternal blessedness.

The Text

“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.”

Psalms 1:1-6

Summary of the Text

In this Psalm which forms the preface for the entire Psalter we have set before us a fork in the road, with one path leading to covenantal blessedness the other leading to covenantal misery & curses. This Psalm has two mountains in it, on one side is the Mount of Blessedness (vv1-3) and on the other the Mount of Judgement (vv4-6).

The blessed man is identified by what he doesn’t do. He doesn’t slow down to match pace with the aimless wanderings of ungodly counselors (v1); he doesn’t station himself where he knows he will brush shoulders with sinners; he doesn’t nestle down into the couch of scoffers (v1). Rather, he delights in Yahweh’s Law, and makes it his muse evening & morning (v2). This sort of man can be likened to a tall & flourishing tree which has been planted–by Another’s hand–in an Edenic garden (Cf. Gen. 2:8-10); this tree of the Lord’s planting will be fruitful, it will flourish, and it will be faithful (v3).

But emphatically, it is not so with the ungodly (v4). They are like the useless chaff which is fanned into the fire (v4). At the day of judgement, these ungodly ones will not stand, nor can they masquerade any longer in the congregation of the righteous (v5). While the Lord continually knows the way of the righteous, all the ways in which the ungodly have charted for themselves will come to a fearful end (v6).

Slow-Burn Apostasy

God’s people, both corporately and individually, are continually presented with the temptation to a slow-burn apostasy. Each day you are faced with choices to either grow & flourish in righteousness, or to slowly but surely deteriorate into the lifelessness of sin. This life of the blessed man is set forth as a refusal to go along, slow down, or capitulate to the counsel, habits, or scorn of the ungodly. Think of Solomon’s simple admonition: “My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not (Pro. 1:10).”

In our current moment, many who have grown up in the church have demonstrated that they’ve kept their ear open to the whisperings of the ungodly counsel. They’ve kept looking out of the corner of their eye to make sure they don’t stand out as unfashionable in their manner of life or their way of thinking. The word “deconstruction” has been used to put a respectable sheen on a trajectory of apostasy. Rather than delighting in the law of the Lord, many Christians have sought to rework the fundamentals of their faith––trimming here, nipping there––in order that it might not stand out so much from the pattern of the world.

Notice how someone who “deconstructs” tends to end up with a worldview that is not offensive at all to the worldly way of thinking, living, or doing. This is what Paul warns us of in 2 Corinthians 6:14, there is no fellowship between blessings & curses. All too frequently, saints listen to the counsel of the ungodly which leads them to partially participating in the ways of sinners, which eventually (without repentance) lands them in the gutter of mocking God’s Word.

Delighting in the Word

Notice that the thing that delineates the blessed from the ungodly is their posture towards Yahweh’s Law. The blessed man is marked out by his delight in the Lord’s Law. Whenever God has been pleased to send a revival, it always is marked by a great delight in searching out the Scriptures (2 Ki. 22, Acts 17:11, ad fontes, Nadere Reformatie). This is why you must read and sing and study and muse upon the Word of God daily.

Think of a time when you’ve been outwitted by someone who you perceived to be more knowledgeable than you on the topic. If you’ve contented yourself with settling for ignorance, snake-oil salesmen will easily dupe you. But if you delight in the Word and obey the Word, you will never be moved (Cf. Ps 15). 

False doctrine (i.e. ungodly counsel) always leads to false living (i.e. the scorner’s seat). But it should be noted that the scoffing from the scorners is done in order to cover up the shame of their guilt. Anything but an apocalypse. The Word cuts us open, the Word is light for the path, the Word is bread from heaven, the Word is a sword to battle error, a fire to purge the gold of dross.

If you are diligent to hear & heed the Word, you will not be left shamefaced at the judgement. And this Word declares to you that there is none Righteous. The Word declares that this blessing comes to you not by your doing, but as a gracious gift of God’s covenant mercies

The Tree of the Lord

It shouldn’t escape our notice that in this Psalm God plants a tree of life in a fertile, well-watered garden. This is the inner sap of the life of blessing. God has planted a tree. This tree is Christ.

You will be thwarted in your efforts to live a holy life and avoid the ways of the ungodly if you do not first see that it is only by being grafted into the vine of Christ whereby you may bear this fruit. It is by covenantal union with Christ that you are planted in the damp forest of God’s blessing. But the fearful warning is that by refusing to hear God’s Word that salvation is by Christ alone, you will come, in the end, to find yourself as nothing by chaff. Nothing but fuel for the fire. Nothing but a dry branch that must be pruned.

The Psalter begins with this Psalm which sets before us blessings and curses, life and death, Christ or chaos. There are only two paths: a desert wasteland of endless searching for fleeting pleasures or the fruitful tree of the Lord watered by Living Waters (Is. 44:1-6).

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