Class Lesson December 18, 2016

THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE 

Who doesn’t love the beauty of palm trees swaying in the breeze on ocean beaches? But what’s beautiful can sometimes be fragile. 

When you see news footage of hurricanes striking tropical towns, you’ll likely see scores of palm trees—once tall and majestic— uprooted and thrown all around the beach. Yet in those same towns, you can probably find oak trees still standing tall. The difference is in the roots. Palm trees have shallow roots, while oaks have roots that go deep into the ground. 

In life, have you noticed how some people always seem to stand firm when the winds of opposition blow? Just like the trees, it all depends on their roots. 

Psalm 119 celebrates the sufficiency of God’s Word to meet our every need. As we explore verses 17-24, we’ll see that God’s Word is sufficient to sustain us even in the most difficult times. Opposition surely will come, but when our roots go deep into God’s Word, He strengthens us and gives us the courage to stand.

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY? 

Psalm 119:17-20

17 Deal generously with Your servant so that I might live; then I will keep Your word. 18 Open my eyes so that I may contemplate wonderful things from Your instruction. 19 I am a stranger on earth; do not hide Your commands from me. 20 I am continually overcome with longing for Your judgments. 

In verse 17, the psalmist described himself as “Your servant.” He also listed two fundamental characteristics that define the true servant of God: 

1. True servants live the Word of God. The psalmist was a faithful servant of God, but he didn’t ask God to deal with him based on the merits of his service. Instead, he prayed, “Deal generously with Your servant”—a request that reflects the grace, goodness, and generosity of the Master. His words remind us we have a benevolent Master to whom we can bring large petitions with great expectations. 

2. True servants learn the Word of God. In verse 18, the psalmist petitioned God to “Open my eyes so that I may contemplate wonderful things from Your instruction.” Many wonderful things abound throughout the pages of Scripture, but we’ll miss them unless God opens our eyes to see them. Without the illumination of God’s Spirit, we cannot understand what God has inspired (see 1 Cor. 2:14-16). 

The psalmist not only called himself God’s servant, but also “a stranger on earth”—a sojourner and pilgrim traveling through a foreign land on his way home. Life on this earth is fleeting and temporary; we are not here to stay. A time is coming when we will leave this world to go to our eternal home (see John 14:3). That’s why Paul wrote that “our citizenship is in heaven” (Phil. 3:20). 

This citizenship is about more than just our destination beyond this world; it’s also about being set apart in this world. Something should be different about people who have devoted themselves to God and His Word. Because when we are transformed, we no longer conform to the world (see Rom. 12:2). 

It’s interesting that the psalmist neither prayed for safety on his pilgrimage nor for success in this world. He only prayed, “Do not hide Your commands from me.” He prayed that God would provide what a traveler needs most—a good map, a true compass, and a sure path. In effect, the psalmist was asking God to illuminate his path (see Ps. 119:105). 

As strangers on earth, we need God’s Word to keep us focused. Because when we focus on God’s Word, He gives us the strength to stand courageously in a world where we don’t belong.

Psalm 119:21-22 

21 You rebuke the proud, the ones under a curse, who wander from Your commands. 22 Take insult and contempt away from me, for I have kept Your decrees. 

In verse 21, the psalmist gave a threefold description of those who receive divine rebuke: 

• Their character. They are insolent, proud, and arrogant. But God has a warning for such people: “Pride comes before destruction, and an arrogant spirit before a fall” (Prov. 16:18). 

• Their condition. They are under a curse. And this is a terrible curse, indeed: “Don’t be deceived: God is not mocked. For whatever a man sows he will also reap, because the one who sows to his flesh will reap corruption from the flesh, but the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit” (Gal. 6:7-8).

• Their conduct. They “wander from Your commands.” Those who rebel against God’s Word will face serious consequences: “For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to ruin” (Ps. 1:6). 

The psalmist longed for protection from a number of enemies who were persecuting him. Fortunately, those enemies drove him to God. 

Apparently the psalmist wasn’t experiencing physical threats. Instead, his enemies were targeting him with relational and emotional abuse. That’s why he wrote: “Take insult and contempt away from me.” This reminds us that people don’t have to hit you to hurt you. They can hurt you with lies, taunts, and insults. 

When the psalmist faced scorn and contempt, he prayed that the Lord would take it away from him. Similarly, when people mistreat us in today’s world, we shouldn’t take matters into our own hands. We don’t need to respond in kind to those who persecute us. Instead, we can turn in trust to Christ and seek His deliverance. 

The good news is that God’s Word will keep us focused on Him— the One who delivers us and keeps us strong even as we face the harshest opposition.

Psalm 119:23-24 

23 Though princes sit together speaking against me, Your servant will think about Your statutes; 24 Your decrees are my delight and my counselors. 

In verse 23, the psalmist revealed the source of his mistreatment. Clearly, he had enemies in high places. What would you do if you were in his predicament? Would you run in fear? Retaliate? Compromise? Or would you do what the psalmist did? “Your servant will think about Your statutes.” No matter what others did or said, the psalmist focused his mind and heart on the Word of God. 

The psalmist could stand because he kept his focus on God’s perspective. Fortunately for him (and for us), this focus on God’s Word provided two additional benefits: 

1. Delight. “Your decrees are my delight.” Verse 24 wasn’t the first time the psalmist expressed joy over God’s Word. He’d already declared, “I rejoice in the way revealed by Your decrees as much as in all riches” (v. 14) and “I will delight in Your statutes” (v. 16). 

It’s important to see that the psalmist didn’t base his joy on the material, temporary, or changing things of this world. Rather, he based his joy on the living, powerful, and unfailing Word of God. As a result, he was able to maintain his joy even in the midst of suffering. We, too, can find great joy and delight in the truth, wisdom, and promises of God’s Word. 

2. Direction. “Your decrees … are my counselors.” God’s Word is our counselor, our guide, and our direction. The Scriptures counsel us in the way we should go—and they will never lead us astray. All that remains is for us to take God at His word and trust Him. 

As Solomon wrote: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; think about Him in all your ways, and He will guide you on the right paths” (Prov. 3:5-6).

LIVE IT OUT

How will you prepare now to take a stand on God’s Word whenever necessary? Consider the following suggestions: 

• Stand straight. Identify things you watch, read, or listen to that offer a different worldview than what God offers through His Word. Remove these negative influences as necessary. 

• Stand together. As a group, identify Scriptures that have helped you stand courageously in the past. Post these Scriptures in your meeting place or share them online. 

• Stand with others. People around you may be facing insult or contempt because of their decision to walk with Christ. Encourage them. Pray with them. Walk with them. Help them remain grounded on God’s Word. 

You will experience persecution in this life. The good news is that you get to determine how you will respond. Will you be a palm tree or an oak? The choice is yours.


Teacher's Notes:

Click Here to Watch

Video: The Pursuit of Happiness – What makes this scene so inspiring? 

• Takes a lot of courage to follow a dream when others tell you, you can’t. 

What situation in your life have called for courage?

The Palm & Oak Tree: Who doesn’t love the beauty of palm trees swaying in the breeze on ocean beaches? But what’s beautiful can sometimes be fragile. When you see news footage of hurricanes striking tropical towns, you’ll likely see scores of palm trees—once tall and majestic—uprooted and thrown all around the beach. Yet in those same towns, you can probably find oak trees still standing tall. The difference is in the roots. 

• Palm trees have shallow roots. 
• Oaks have roots that go deep into the ground.

In life, have you noticed how some people always seem to stand firm when the winds of opposition blow? Why is that?

• Just like the trees, it all depends on their roots.

Psalm 119 celebrates the sufficiency of God’s Word to meet our every need. As we explore verses 17-24, we’ll see that God’s Word is sufficient to sustain us even in the most difficult times. Opposition surely will come, but when our roots go deep into God’s Word, He strengthens us and gives us the courage to stand.

Psalm 119:17-24

The psalmist prays for God to show him wonderful things from His word, things that bring him delight and give him direction, why? Because powerful, wicked people have conspired against him and poured contempt upon him.

We are also asked three questions today to think about. The first is…

I. Are you a servant and a stranger on earth?         Psalm 119:17-20

17 Deal generously with Your servant so that I might live; then I will keep Your word. 18 Open my eyes so that I may contemplate wonderful things from Your instruction. 19 I am a stranger on earth; do not hide Your commands from me. 20 I am continually overcome with longing for Your judgments.

In verse 17, the psalmist described himself as “Your servant.” He also listed two fundamental characteristics that define the true servant of God:

2 characteristics that define a servant:

1. True servants live the Word of God. The psalmist was a faithful servant of God, but he didn’t ask God to deal with him based on the merits of his service. Instead, he prayed, “Deal generously with Your servant”—a request that reflects the grace, goodness, and generosity of the Master. His words remind us we have a benevolent Master to whom we can bring large petitions with great expectations.

2. True servants learn the Word of God. In verse 18, the psalmist petitioned God to “Open my eyes so that I may contemplate wonderful things from Your instruction.” Many wonderful things abound throughout the pages of Scripture, but we’ll miss them unless God opens our eyes to see them. Without the illumination of God’s Spirit, we cannot understand what God has inspired (see 1 Cor. 2:14-16).

The psalmist not only called himself God’s servant, but also “a stranger on earth”.

In what ways do Christians live as strangers in today’s world?

• Life on this earth is fleeting and temporary, we are not here to stay. A time is coming when we will leave this world to go to our eternal home (see John 14:3). That’s why Paul wrote that “our citizenship is in heaven” (Phil. 3:20). This citizenship is about more than just our destination beyond this world; it’s also about being set apart in this world. Something should be different about people who have devoted themselves to God and His Word. Because when we are transformed, we no longer conform to the world (see Rom. 12:2).

• God’s people of every time period are strangers in the world, meaning the world is made up of everyone and everything that opposes God, His Word, and His ways (1 John 2:15-17). Jesus told Pilate, “My kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36) and He said that His followers are in the world, but not of the world (John 17:14-18). Peter wrote of believers as “strangers and temporary residents” in this world (1 Peter 2:11). 

What does the psalmist pray for? 

• It’s not for safety or success in the world. He only prayed, “Do not hide Your commands from me.” He prayed that God would provide what all of us need most—a good map, a true compass, and a sure path. In effect, the psalmist was asking God to illuminate his path (see Ps. 119:105). 

God’s Word keeps us focused in this way. 

Point: God’s Word gives us the courage to live in a world where we don’t belong.

Because we are strangers on earth, it’s common for disciples of Jesus to experience insult and persecution from those opposed to the gospel – our next verses address this reality.

But here’s the second question:

II. Have you ever faced opposition for your faith? And if you have, how did you deal with it?

Psalm 119:21-22 

21 You rebuke the proud, the ones under a curse, who wander from Your commands. 22 Take insult and contempt away from me, for I have kept Your decrees. 

What does it mean for God to rebuke the proud?

• Rebuke means to censure severely, reprimand, and reprove. When used in relation to God, this term primarily references His judgments against nations (Ps. 9:5; Isa. 17:13) and commands toward nature (Ps. 106:9; Mal. 3:11).

• The Bible repeatedly speaks of God’s displeasure with the proud (2 Sam. 22:28; Prov. 16:5). One of the differences between a healthy self-confidence and pride is the need for others, particularly God, in a person’s life. Many proud people see little or no need for God or others to help them develop the proper lifestyle. In contrast the psalmist repeatedly recognized his need for God and God’s Word in his life. God’s Word also helped the psalmist del with proud people and the persecution he suffered at their hands.

• The psalmist said the proud are under a curse – those who wander from God’s commands. The proud are under a curse because they don’t live blamelessly, don’t live according to God’s instruction, don’t keep His decrees, and don’t seek God with all their hearts (Ps. 119:1-2). Those who wander from following God’s commands let other things in life – sometimes even good things – take their focus off what is most important: God and God’s Word. Rather than intentionally sinning, those people let other things crowd out their relationship with God and their study of the Bible. It’s a sin to wander from following God and His commands. 

• “Pride comes before destruction, and an arrogant spirit before a fall” (Prov. 16:18). 

• “Don’t be deceived: God is not mocked. For whatever a man sows he will also reap, because the one who sows to his flesh will reap corruption from the flesh, but the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit” (Gal. 6:7-8). 

• “For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to ruin” (Ps. 1:6). 

The psalmist asked for protection. But it wasn’t from physical threats. Instead, it was insults and contempt. 

What are some appropriate responses when Christians face insult and contempt? When someone demeans your faith, questions the truth of the Bible, or excludes you because of your faith?

• When the psalmist faced this, he prayed that the Lord would take it away from him. Similarly, when people mistreat us in today’s world, we shouldn’t take matters into our own hands. We don’t need to respond in kind to those who persecute us. Instead, we can turn in trust to Christ and seek His deliverance. 

Point: God’s Word says that He will give us courage and deliver us from opposition. 

God’s Word will keep us focused on Him— the One who delivers us and keeps us strong even as we face the harshest opposition. Don’t respond in kind to insults and contempt, turn to Christ and seek His deliverance. God is offended by those who wander away from His prescribed way. We bring God’s rebuke on ourselves when we stray from His Word. Others may heap contempt and derision on us because of our commitment to obey faithfully the truth of God. When we are faithful to the Lord’s Word as our standard for living, we have grounds on which to appeal for His intervention to help us stand against those who oppose us. 

As we conclude with verses 23=24, we’ll find a reminder of why it’s so important to prioritize God’s Word in our lives.

Our third and final question today is this:

III. Is Jesus Christ your Wonderful Counselor?           Psalm 119:23-24 

23 Though princes sit together speaking against me, Your servant will think about Your statutes; 24 Your decrees are my delight and my counselors. 

In verse 23, the psalmist revealed the source of his mistreatment. Clearly, he had enemies in high places, government officials - (princes). 

What would you do if you were in his predicament?

• Run in fear, retaliate, compromise? 

What did the psalmist do?

• “Your servant will think about Your statutes.” No matter what others did or said, the psalmist focused his mind and heart on the Word of God.

• Once again, he saw himself in the proper position, as God’s servant. (Your servant)

• When faced with danger, the psalmist looked to God’s Word for his security. By doing so, he remained focused on God’s perspective – even in the face of persecution.

• When we face persecution (or any bad experience, for that matter) we have two choices: We can turn to God in faith or move away from Him in hurt, anger, doubt, and fear. When the psalmist faced persecution for being faithful to God and His Word, he chose to cling even tighter to the Source of his strength and life.

When has God’s Word been a counselor in your life and what does that mean?

• Direction. “Your decrees … are my counselors.” God’s Word is our counselor, our guide, and our direction. The Scriptures counsel us in the way we should go—and they will never lead us astray. All that remains is for us to take God at His word and trust Him.

• As Solomon wrote: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; think about Him in all your ways, and He will guide you on the right paths” (Prov. 3:5-6).

• Not only were God’s decrees the psalmist’s delight – they were also his counselors. With God’s Word at the center of his life, God’s guidance and advice were available to the psalmist to guide him in all situations he encountered. While it’s important to listen to godly people that the Lord puts into our lives who we trust and know us well, be that family and/or friends, they cannot replace God’s Word.

Is Jesus Christ your Wonderful Counselor? In ancient Israel, a counselor was portrayed as a wise king, such as Solomon, giving guidance to his people (1 Kings 4:34; Micah 4:9). Isaiah uses this word again in 28:29 to describe the LORD: “This also comes from the LORD of hosts; He is wonderful in counsel and excellent in wisdom.” Jesus is a wise counselor. “He did not need any testimony about mankind, for He knew what was in each person” (John 2:25). He is able to advise His people thoroughly because He is qualified in ways no human counselor is. In Christ is “hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:3), including the knowledge of all human nature (Psalm 139:1–2). Jesus always knows what we are going through, and He always knows the right course of action (Hebrews 4:15–16).

Christ’s position as our Wonderful Counselor means we can trust Him to listen to our problems and guide us in the right direction (Proverbs 3:6). We can be sure He is listening because He told us to pray to Him about our worries (Philippians 4:6; James 1:5). We can be certain He has our best interests at heart because He loves us (1 John 4:19). And His love is so wide and deep (and wonderful) that we cannot fully understand it (Romans 5:8).

Which of these images best illustrates how the Bible helps you stand strong in a society that’s increasingly opposed to God’s will?

• A foundation, a shield, an umbrella, or a sword.

What steps can we take this week to increase our reliance on God’s Word?

• Ask God to help you overcome your unbelief! There’s a story in Mark 9, where a father brings his demon possessed boy to Jesus - he believed that Jesus could heal him, and he says in verse 24: “I do believe”. But then in the same verse he says, “Help me overcome my unbelief!“ He asked Jesus for help in his unbelief. He believed Jesus could heal him yet he still had some doubt and asked Jesus to help in his lack of belief. This has been my own experience as well. I believe and have faith in Jesus, but I also experience times of doubt that seem to overwhelm me.

Point: God’s Word gives us comfort and guidance in the difficulties and distresses of life.

In today’s lesson, we see a new theme, the difficulty of living in a world that is not only opposed to the faith but conspires against it. The lesson today shows us that the proper response to this is the word of God! When the word of God is properly understood and consistently obeyed, it will bring comfort and guidance in the difficulties and distresses of life.

You will experience persecution in this life. The good news is that you get to determine how you will respond. Will you be a palm tree or an oak? The choice is yours.

Hope to see you on Sunday! 

In His Love, 

David & Susan