August 28, 2022

God’s World and God’s Word

Siby Varghese – Psalm 19

Sermon Quotes

Psalm 19:1
The heavens declare the glory of God and the sky above proclaims his handiwork…

“There are 15 constants – the gravitational constant, various constants about the strong and weak nuclear force, etc.- that have precise values. If any one of those constants was off by even one part in a million, or in some cases, by one part in a million million, the universe could not have actually come to the point where we see it. Matter would not have been able to coalesce, there would have been no galaxy, stars, planets or people.”
-Francis Collins

Psalm 19:2
Day to day it pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge.

Psalm 19:4
Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world.

Psalm 19:7-10
[7] The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; [8] the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; [9] the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the LORD are true, and righteous altogether. [10] More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb.

“I stopped: I was stabbed to the heart, as if by a five-inch nail. What did the verse reveal to me? Shall I call it the love of the heart of Christ? Shall I call it His compassion? I do not know what to call it. I only know that with an unspeakably grateful heart I believed.”
-Tokichi Ishii

Psalm 19:7
The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.

“The scholars God requires are those who are fools in their own estimation, and have become as little children, lest the supposed loftiness of our own wisdom prevents us from yielding ourselves to the teaching of God’s Word”
-John Calvin

Psalm 19:8
The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart.

Psalm 19:10
God’s law is more to be desired than gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb.

“I can well understand this being said of God’s mercies or promises. But the poet is talking about God’s law! This is very mysterious to me. Thou shall not steal. Thou shall not commit adultery. I can understand a man must and should respect these statutes and obey them, but it is impossible for me to see how they could be delicious. How they could exhilarate…”
-C.S. Lewis

”This is the language of a man ravished by beauty. He looks into the law of God with all of its demands and sees absolute beauty. If we cannot find a way to share his experience we shall all be the losers.”
-C.S. Lewis

Psalm 19:11-13
[11] Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward. [12] Who can discern his errors? Declare me innocent from hidden faults. [13] Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me! Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression.

Psalm 19:14
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.