Psalm 19: Ears to Hear and Eyes to See
How God speaks to us.
  by Rev. David McKinley

Date: September 13, 2009, Rally Day

INTRODUCTION
       Not all sermons are good, and yet their effectiveness is not always dependant on the speaker or his gifts.  There is the story of a young 15–year old boy who had an interest in going to Sunday service at a nearby Methodist church one wintry morning on January 6, 1850.  He could not attend the church suggested by his mother, so he wandered into this one.  The preacher was not able to make the service on that day, so an uneducated layman stepped forward to deliver the message.  Only 15 people were there.  His text was Isaiah 45:22 which simply reads: “Look unto me and be saved, all the ends of the earth.” 

Throughout his speech, the man stumbled for words to say, and then finally said to the 15-year old boy: “You man, you look miserable.  And you will be miserable if you don’t do as my text tells you, that is, look to Christ.”  And then he called out, with all his might: “Young man, look!  In God’s name look and look now!”  Though we cannot see the immediate effects of a sermon, the seed of faith was planted in the teenager that day.  His name was Charles Haddon Spurgeon, who later became a gifted preacher, who ministered to thousands at the Metropolitan Tabernacle in London in the late 19th century, and is history’s most published minister.  Not all sermons are good, and yet their effectiveness is not always dependant on the speaker or his gifts. 

       This brings up the subject: how does God speak to us?  And, are we listening?  Our text is Psalm 19.  It author is King David, the most influential king of Israel’s history.  This man was not without fault.  He made his mistakes.  But he goes down in history as the man after God’s own heart.  This Psalm is about two types of God’s speech.  We understand this as natural revelation and special revelation.  First of all…

• GOD SPEAKS OF HIS STRENGTH AND POWER THROUGH NATURE. 

Verses 1-6 deal with God’s speech through nature.  Verse one states: “The heavens are telling of the glory of God; and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.”  Here, the universe is spoken of as a constant source of knowledge.  It is also described as a tabernacle for the sun.  The sun is described as a bridegroom in verse five.  Nothing is hid from it.  Its appearance is bold and every eye sees it.  The sun’s existence speaks of the power of God.  Creation is a testimony of the glory of God.  Christians accept this by faith, as we read in Hebrews 11:3: “By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.”  As Vern Poythress said earlier this year in this sanctuary, “Science is really the act of studying God’s speech.”1  

Furthermore, how has God revealed Himself in nature?  One way is through physics.  For instance, we know that the universe is constantly expanding.  It’s expansion rate is 1x1014.  If it were any less, the universe would collapse on itself.  If it were any more, our universe would be nothing but dust.  Or the sheer size of the universe speaks of the existence of God.  Bear with me as I read this from Dr. Hugh Ross, the author of the book Creator and Cosmos.  He states:

The universe is incredibly massive. Nevertheless, its mass must be spectacularly fine-tuned for life to be possible. Exactly how massive the universe is remained unknown until astronomers focused the Hubble Space Telescope on a patch of sky no bigger than a tenth the Moon's (angular) diameter, and held it there for some 278 hours. This Ultra Deep Field (see figure) successfully imaged all the galaxies (at least those bigger than dwarfs) that exist in that region.
The field contains roughly 10,000 galaxies. By extrapolation, then, astronomers determine that the entire observable universe contains at least 200 billion galaxies. These galaxies contain an estimated average of 200 billion stars each. The total number of stars in these galaxies, then, is 40 billion trillion. The unobserved dwarf galaxies would contribute an estimated additional 10 billion trillion. Thus, the total number of stars in the observable universe adds up to about 50 billion trillion.

Fifty billion trillion stars-that's an unimaginably enormous universe. And yet the universe is more massive by far. The stars, both those that are still shining and those that have burned out, account for just one percent of the universe's total mass!

One reason the universe must be so massive is that life requires it. The density of protons and neutrons determines how much of the universe's hydrogen fuses into heavier elements. With a slightly lower density (producing fewer than about 50 billion trillion observable stars), nuclear fusion would be less productive and at no time in cosmic history (either in the big bang or in stars) would elements heavier than helium be produced. Or, if the density were slightly higher (producing more than about 50 billion trillion observable stars), nuclear fusion would be so productive that only heavier-than-iron elements would exist. Either way, life-essential elements such as carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and phosphorous would be too scarce or nonexistent.2

Such size and yet such intricacy is hard to understand.  You and I are significant, yet we are extremely small.  The design of the universe can only be explained by God.  Romans 1: 20 says: “For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities-- his eternal power and divine nature-- have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.”  Next time you are observing the stars, a beautiful landscape or a breathtaking sunrise/sunset, think of God and His goodness.  He has given us natural revelation, as one proof to His existence.  But He has also given us something else.  Next we learn that…

• GOD SPEAKS OF HIS LOVE AND GRACE THROUGH HIS WORD, THE BIBLE. 

But Psalm 19 also deals with God’s special revelation.  Notice how the Old Testament law is described in verse seven and following.  Such words that are used for the Scripture are law, testimony, statutes, commandments and judgments.  These all presuppose a written word, especially the moral law as found in the Ten Commandments.  Each word for God’s instruction is described by an adjective, followed by a practical use.  For instance: “The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; 8 The statutes 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 judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.”

Let me ask you a question.  Is there ever a time in your life when you do not need instruction?  Dads, how important are those instructions to put together the play set on the night of Christmas Eve?  Ladies, can you imagine cooking without a recipe?  Or, who has not referred to an owner’s manual from time to time?  If there’s anything that you get from today’s message, let it be the value of the Scriptures as your life’s manual.  It is the only book which can convert the soul, make wise the simple, cause the heart to rejoice, enlighten the eyes, and give us the truth.  We will only receive the treasure of Scripture when we understand it as God’s speech. 

       The Scripture seen as God’s speech has a comforting component.  At my last post in East Central Kansas, there was a dear lady by the name of Winnie.  After I had been there a couple of years, she developed breast cancer and made the decision that treatment was not worth the struggle.  I visited Winnie in her home on a regular basis.  We had great visits, and at the conclusion of each I would ask her if I could read a passage for her.  She always said: You know the one.  I read her Psalm 46, which states: “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, 3 though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. 4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. …"Be still, and know that I am God… .”  those words brought her comfort throughout her life, especially at the end during its most difficult times. 

Have you ever thought of how our Bible was given to us?  God used men, but there was something supernatural that took place.  One commentator states: “By “inspiration” we mean that the Holy Spirit exerted His supernatural influences upon the writers of the Bible.  The writings were inspired- not necessarily the writers, for the Bible nowhere claims to have been written by inspired men.”3  

And so the Christian Church has always placed a high priority on the exposition of Scripture.  This is why the Central Schwenkfelder has practice expository preaching the last several years, at least as far back as 2002.  Why?  Because that is the preaching method that allows you to hear God, most readily.  It differs from topical preaching which usually covers a subject of my choosing and I piece-meal texts that fit into my thesis.  Expository preaching seeks to expose the text for the listener.  The difference is hearing from God, or hearing from David McKinley.  I would much rather hear from God!  Hear what Mark Dever says about the benefits of expository preaching4 :

• The congregation is released from slavery to the preacher’s hobbyhorse texts and topics.
• The application intention of the text is released to do its creating, convicting, converting, and conforming work in (church members’) lives.
• Increases their knowledge of God and His word by broadening (congregation’s) exposure to all the different parts of Scripture.
• Increases (listener’s) trust in the inspiration, inerrancy, clarity, and sufficiency of Scripture.
• Increases (congregation’s) trust in the pastor’s preaching and teaching.
• Decreases (listener’s) likelihood of being deceived by false teaching.
• Functions for (congregation’s) as a responsible model of personal Bible study.

       The problem lies in our desire for it or the lack thereof.  Verse 10: “More to be desired are they than gold, Yea, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.”  It is like feeding a seven year-old escargot.  He won’t appreciate the delicacy of it until he is at least twenty years older.  And so it is a mark of spiritual maturity for those that hunger and thirst after the real spiritual food that God offers. 

We do this in a few ways.  For instance, we expose you to the passage with the Responsive Reading.  Such an act functions to get you acquainted with the text.  We learn by reading it together.  We also have a bulletin insert as a learning aid, to write down thoughts, etc.  We might call this “listening with a pencil.”  One of my seminary professors, Dr. Scott Hafemann, who also taught Dr. Drake Williams and who preached Dr. Drake’s ordination service in this building, said that the best kind of reading is reading with a pencil.  You and I ought to listen with a pencil.  It is really all about attitude and a willingness to learn.  Today, we presented our young people with Bibles, not as a sentimental gift, but that they would be used to mold and shape their minds. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 tells us that it is God-breathed.  What’s more is that it teaches, reproves, corrects and instructs. 

       What are you coming to worship for?  Some come for entertainment; some come for social benefits; others come to be inspired.  What inspires you?  On the courtside of Oral Roberts University, it says: “Expect a Miracle.”  We ought to come to worship expecting to hear from God.  I implore you to gear your mind and heart to hear from God.  Don’t let David McKinley stand in the way.  Open your heart!  Open your ears!  Open your eyes! 

CONCLUSION
This morning, we’ve learned that GOD SPEAKS OF HIS STRENGTH AND POWER THROUGH NATURE.  And secondly, GOD SPEAKS OF HIS LOVE AND GRACE THROUGH HIS WORD, THE BIBLE.  Remember Charles Spurgeon?  Later in life, reflecting on his conversion, he wrote: “Standing on one of the halls of the orphanage is the very pulpit from which I savingly heard the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Though I have no reverence for relics of any sort, yet a flood of grateful memories flows before me as I look on the platform whereon stood the unknown brother who pointed me to Jesus.  Who he was I shall never know till the Day of Judgment.  But the text, “Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth,” was the voice of God to my soul.”