I think that the church ascribing to the mantra, “everything rises and falls on leadership” has been a more recent occurrence. I do think that Sweet has hit on a very unhealthy dependency which many in the church have developed. Biblical Christianity is very counter-cultural. Expediency and tangible results are not the main criteria by which the church is called to evaluate itself nor by which it is to operate. Jesus set the disciple’s world upside down by telling them to stop concerning themselves with who was in charge among them – Jesus is, end of argument (Matt. 23:1-12).

I do not agree with all of the arguments that Sweet sets forth in the book. The N.T. Does discuss leaders and leadership (Luke 22:26; Heb. 13:7, 17; 1 Tim. 5:17; 1 Thess. 5:12-13). I do think that such leadership should be carried out by biblically qualified individuals, who are genuine followers of Christ. This results from a proper ecclesiology – Jesus is the head of the church. Elders are under-shepherds who are to humbly lead by example and through the teaching of sound doctrine (1 Pet. 5:1-5). Paul set forth the same principles in his exhortation of the Ephesian elders (Acts 20:17-35). This biblical shepherding looks different and flows from different motives that business management theory. On this count I agree wholeheartedly with Sweet.

This book contains some good questions, but as with all things should be ready carefully and cautiously. It has caused me to realize that the Christian model of leadership should flow out of our biblical and systematic theology.

* I received this from Book Sneeze as a blogger review book without obligation of a positive review.

Psalm 119:169-176

Intro:

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

I BELIEVE. . .

I believe in the sun,

even when it is not shining;

I believe in love,

even when I feel it not;

I believe in God,

even when He is silent.” ¹

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

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

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

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

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

Ask God to help you think biblically.

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

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

Trust in God’s promises to you.

3. Praise God for his teaching (171).

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

Praise God for his teaching.

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

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

Praise God because his commands are just.

5. Choose God’s Word (173).

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

Choose God’s Word.

6. Delight in God’s Word (174).

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

Delight in God’s Word.

7. Look to God’s Word for help (175).

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

Look to God’s Word for help.

8. Do not forget God’s Word (176).

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

Do not forget God’s Word.

Conclusion:

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

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

FEEL – I need more of God’s Word.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Date _____________ What I read today _______________

Best thought I marked/noted today: ________________________

How it impressed me: _________________________________

Psalm 119:25-32

Intro:

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

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

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

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

Six Statements Related to God’s Word:

1. God’s Word Revives Believers (25).

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

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

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

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

3. God’s Word Sustains Believers (28)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Conclusion:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Date _____________ What I read today _______________

Best thought I marked/noted today: ________________________

How it impressed me: _________________________________

As I began reading, I quickly noticed that this book, which is part of The Ancient Practices Series, is calling for a return to the practice of praying the “offices.”  This refers to praying set prayers at scheduled times of the day – sunrise, before work, noon, mid afternoon, sundown, before bed, and midnight.  This has been a practice in Catholicism for thousands of years.  It has been a large part of the historical monastic movement.  My issue with the monastic movement is that the individuals removed themselves from society for the purpose of practicing their own piety, rather than living in the world, but not being of the world.  For all intensive purposes, they removed themselves from active participation in the Great Commission – making disciples.

As the author continues to make his case for praying the offices, he makes huge overstatements, such as: (p. 22).

“For the most part, the first Christians were Jews.  The coming of the Messiah was not the end of the story of the God they had known; it was a new chapter in that same story…the early Christians continued to do what Yahweh’s people had always done – they rose seven times a day to praise the name of the Lord.  No one said that now they had Jesus, there was no need to worship God.“  This is a huge overstatement, to equate worship with the offices.

“…if we begin to participate in this ancient tradition that has sustained the Church through the ages” (p. 10).  It is very bold to make such a sweeping statement that, praying the offices has spiritually sustained the Church.  It would be more biblical to say prayer to a sovereign, all-sufficient God who has chosen to respond to true believers praying by faith is what has sustained the Church through the ages.

“It was meant to be prayed by all the faithful, or at least it has been for six thousand years” (p. 26)  Isn’t this conjecture?  What evidence to we have that Abraham was praying the offices?

“Hold on tight – we’re headed into the Reformation, during which all manner of things that had to do with the ancient Church were set aside for various reasons.  Some of the reasons were theological, some were political, and the rest were somewhere in between…I recommend that we leave those discussions to the professionals who seem to enjoy arguing over such things” (p. 24).  The implication here is that the Reformers abandoned things that should not have been abandoned for theological and political reasons is troubling.  Abandoning the offices because of theological reasons based on Scripture is sufficient grounds for doing so.  The Reformers witnessed empty ritualism filled with superstition and rightly abandoned the practice for Christian living grounded in Scripture alone, not the tradition of men.  Furthermore, it is not a noble thing to abandon discernment and contending for the faith once for all handed down to the saints, because to do such a thing is to “enjoy arguing.”  

In the end, the book encourages prayer, which is a good thing.  Yet, I cannot recommend it because it is based more on tradition and experience/emotion than on Scripture.