Reference

Psalm 1
Two Paths

Two Paths

Psalm 1

Emmanuel Christian Church

10.8.23

INTRODUCTION: The Old Testament Psalms are a treasure trove! Some would describe them as the Old Testament hymnal- and so it is. But even more, the Psalms are words of prophecy. The Psalms are words of wisdom. As a matter of fact, the Psalms are either quoted or referenced over 100 times in the New Testament! The Psalms are God’s Word. The Psalms are worthy of our attention! It has been over 25 years since I last preached from the book of Psalms, so beginning today, with the first of the Psalms- I intend to take us back to the treasure trove of God’s Word! Psalms 1:1 Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. 3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. 4 Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away. 5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. 6 For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish. PROPOSITION: Psalm 1sounds like something your mother may have told you- “We can do this the hard way, or the easy way- the choice is yours!” In focus this morning- two paths: “The happy way” and the “way of the wicked”- and everybody gets to choose only one! The Happy Way

  • The word “Blessed” is actually an Old Testament family name. It literally means a descendent of Asher! So what’s the connection between being “blessed” or “happy” and the Jewish tribe of Asher? The answer is found in Moses blessing of the tribes of Israel, just before their entry into the Promised Land.

Deuteronomy 33:24 About Asher he said: “Most blessed of sons is Asher; let him be favored by his brothers, and let him bathe his feet in oil. 25 The bolts of your gates will be iron and bronze, and your strength will equal your days.

  • Wow! Wouldn’t you like to be a part of THAT tribe!? Well, YOU CAN! All you have to do, is make the choice to walk the path of the “Happy Way”!

  • How do you do that? BE CAREFUL where you walk, stand or sit! - DON’T WALK in the counsel of the wicked!

  • The Book of Psalms warns against the “wicked” more than any other book in the Old Testament!

  • So, how many directions can you walk at once? ONLY ONE.

  • How many paths are there to walk? ONLY TWO. Either toward God, or away from God.

  • How can you know what path you’re on right now? Check your GPS- that is, God’s Perspective Source- also known as the BIBLE.

  • WARNING! DON’T trust YOURSELF to chart your own path! Proverbs 14:12There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.

  • DON’T STAND in the way of sinners!

  • Literally, give careful thought as to where you place your feet and take your foothold in life. What’s your foundation “starting point” for every decision as you go through each day?

  • Jesus had something to say about this: Matthew 7:24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” APPLICATION: One thing is for sure in this life: the rain and winds are coming! It is the foolish sinner who thinks that there is some better foundation than the Word of God upon which to set his feet!

  • DON’T SIT in the seat of mockers!

  • Who are the mockers? The “big talking” “babblers”! You know the type: the ones who love to hear the sound of their own voice; the authority on everything who always has something to say, and has to have the last word!

  • The book of Proverbs describes the mocker: Proverbs 13:1 A wise son heeds his father’s instruction, but a mocker does not listen to rebuke.Proverbs 14:6 The mocker seeks wisdom and finds none, but knowledge comes easily to the discerning. Proverbs 15:12 A mocker resents correction; he will not consult the wise. Proverbs 21:24 The proud and arrogant man — “Mocker” is his name; he behaves with overweening pride.

  • So, where does the “mockers’ sit? He sits on the throne of human wisdom!

  • He is convinced that the input of his five senses and the processing power of his 3 pound brain has the ability to unravel the mysteries of life bound up in the simple questions: “How did we get here?”, “What is life’s purpose?”, and “Where are we going?”

  • His foolish, godless answers to these simple questions are “It was a BIG accident.”, “Survival” and “The grave”. APPLICATION: The mocker’s seat is the pathetic throne of fools! When we begin with the source of true wisdom (God’s Word) our answers are CLEAR and RADICALLY different: “We were created in God’s image.”, “We are to love the Lord with all our heart, mind, soul and strength- and to love our neighbors as ourself.”, and “We are headed into eternal life- either in fellowship with our Creator, or in anguished separation from Him.” TRANSITION: God’s path in life, the “Happy Way” isn’t simply what you choose to avoid, it’s about what you choose to DO! The “happy” man delights in the Law of the Lord.

  • Men have two lists in life: The “Got To List” and the “Get To List”. - If its on the “got to” list, chances are- it won’t get done!

  • If its on the “get to” list, not only will it get done, he won’t stop doing it, and he’ll even be willing to pay for the privilege! APPLICATION: So, how does something get on a man’s “get to list”? It’s nothing more than a decision! When you decide to put God’s Word first place in your life- like anything else, your desire for it and delight in it will GROW over time. Would you like a “pro-tip” on how to grow in your desire for the Word of God? Just ASK Him to help you re-wire your desire! Just consider Psalm 119: The center of our Bible. The longest chapter in the Bible. Near its center, we find this verse: Psalms 119:97 Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long. Coincidence? I think NOT! But it does bring me to this second point: The “happy” man meditates on the Law of the Lord “day and night”.

  • “Meditates” - to ponder, study and speak. - I have just two things to say:

  • “Three chapters a day.”

  • “What does the Bible say?” APPLICATION: What DOES the Bible say about this? Psalms 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path. So what’s the “happy man” who walks the “happy away” LOOK like? A BIG BEAUTIFUL TREE! “He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.” STABLE - a tree planted by streams of water (nourished by the living water and the light of God’s Word). The kind of man to whom others run- NOT the man who PRODUCTIVE - yielding fruit in season (and he’s always “in season”!) SUCCESSFUL - whatever he does prospers. Psalms 112:1 Praise the LORD. Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who finds great delight in his commands. 2 His children will be mighty in

the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed. 3 Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever. 4 Even in darkness light dawns for the upright, for the gracious and compassionate and righteous man. 5 Good will come to him who is generous and lends freely, who conducts his affairs with justice. 6 Surely he will never be shaken; a righteous man will be remembered forever. 7 He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD. 8 His heart is secure, he will have no fear; in the end he will look in triumph on his foes. 9 He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor, his righteousness endures forever; his horn will be lifted high in honor. The BLESSED man- who does THAT sound like? That’s right, Jesus! BUT it is also the man who makes the choice to walk like Jesus did! However, there is another side to our story this morning… “Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.” The Wrong Way

  • The day in which we live is interesting for the fact that people are averse to saying that anything is “wicked”, or just plain “wrong”. If anything is “wrong” to the people of this age it is those who take a stand with that which God Himself declares to be wrong! The “wicked” are literally, just “wrong”!
  • What a comfort is found in the fact that God’s Word does NOT change. it clearly states that there are people and things that are just “wicked” and “wrong”!
  • Even though it sometimes seems that evil wins, and the wicked man gets away with his wicked ways, God reminds us…
  • Like chaff blown in the wind, such a man will be blown away by God!Isaiah 3:10 Tell the righteous it will be well with them, for they will enjoy the fruit of their deeds. 11 Woe to the wicked! Disaster is upon them! They will be paid back for what their hands have done.
  • The wicked man WILL get knocked to his knees!

Romans 14:11 It is written: “‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bow before me; every tongue will confess to God.’” 12 So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God. So, having said all of that, there is only one thing left to say: CHOOSE YOUR LANE! Psalm 1:6 For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.