The Sufficiency of God’s Word: Part Two 

“I hate and abhor falsehood but I love your law. Seven times a day I praise you for your righteous laws. Great peace have they who love your law and nothing can make them stumble.” Ps 119:163-165

“On the far side of every risk-even if it results in death-the love of God triumphs. This is the faith that frees us to risk for the cause of God. It is not heroism, or lust for adventure, or courageous self-reliance, or efforts to earn God’s favor. It is childlike faith in the triumph of God’s love-that on the other side of all our risks, for the sake of righteousness, God will be holding us. We will be eternally satisfied in him. Nothing will be wasted.” – John Piper, “Don’t Waste Your Life,” p. 95

Our Purpose: There are two great mistakes that many make when speaking of the Bible. They say it is too hard to understand; and that it is boring. It is neither. God has hidden great treasures in the gold mine we call the Bible. They will not be discovered by casual seekers. Raking is easy but you only get leaves. Digging is hard but you get treasure. It is our purpose this evening to: 1] Show how digging will uncover some of the rich treasure that God has hidden in His Word in Psalm 19; 2] Motivate us to a devotion and passion to mine for ourselves the precious treasure found only in God’s Word.

I. Our God speaks and reveals His soul–satisfying glory, Psalm 19:1-11

“What makes life worthwhile is having a big enough objective, something which catches our imagination and lay hold of our allegiance; and this the Christian has, in a way that no other man has. For what higher, more exalted, and more compelling goal can there be than to know God.” – J. I. Packer

A. In General Revelation: Through what God has made. 1-6

B. In Special Revelation: Through that which God says. 7-9

II. The Sufficiency of the Word: Part Two, Psalm 19:10-14

“Would you feel more loved by God if he made much of you, or if he liberated you from the bondage of self-regard’ at a great cost to himself, so that you could enjoy making much of him forever?” – John Piper

A. Sufficient for Pleasure. Verses 10-11

1. They warn us of what will keep us from enjoying the pleasures of Christ. Ps 119:10

“I seek You with all my heart; do not let me stray from Your commands.”

2. They guide us to the path that will lead us to the eternal pleasures of Christ. Ps 16:11

“You have made known to me the path of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand.”

B. Sufficient for Power. Verses 12-13

“There is not a square inch in the whole domain of human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry “Mine!” – Abraham Kuyper

1. Pardon: When I sin unknowingly I need God’s cleansing mercy.

“The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” Jer. 17:9

2. Power: When I face known sin I need God’s empowering grace.

“Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” Heb 4:16

C. Sufficient for Purpose. Verse 14

1. God has designed our words and thoughts so they may glorify Him.

“He addresses His words to us— statements, commands, promises—as a means of sharing His thoughts with us, and so of making that personal self-disclosure which friendship presupposes, and without which it cannot exist.” – J. I. Packer

2. God has designed life so we can always find our joy in pleasing Him.

“Sooner or later, God’s guidance, which brings us out of darkness into light will bring us out of light into darkness. It is part of the way of the cross.” – J. I. Packer

III. Conclusions and Applications: How can I enjoy the treasure God has hidden in His Word?

“The more we know of God, the happier we are… When we became a little acquainted with God…our true happiness…commenced; and the more we become acquainted with him, the more truly happy we become. What will make us so exceedingly happy in heaven? It will be fuller knowledge of God.” – George Mueller

A. How can our eyes be opened to see the value of God’s Word? We _______ Psalm 119:18

“The Spirit of God, bearing witness by and with Scriptures in the heart of man, is alone able fully to persuade it that they are the very word of God.” – The Westminster Larger Catechism

B. How do we find the riches buried there? We ______ 2 Timothy 2:15

“I argue that the primary reason we misinterpret His work, is not because the Holy Spirit has failed to do his work, but because we have failed to do ours. We fall short of loving God with all of our minds and neglect the responsibility to apply ourselves to a vigorous study of the things of God.” – R. C. Sproul

C. How do we uncover the treasures hidden there? We ______ 2 Corinthians 10:5

“The book contains the mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners, and the happiness of believers….Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe, and practice it to be holy….It is the traveler’s map, the Pilgrim’s staff, the pilot’s compass, the soldier’s sword….Read it slowly, frequently, prayerfully….It involves the highest responsibility, rewards the greatest labor, and condemns all who will trifle with its sacred contents.” – Walter Kroll

D. How do we enjoy the treasures we have found? We ______ John 7:17

“His deepest conviction was that reverence for God was reverence for Scripture, and serving God means obeying Scripture. To his mind, then, no greater insult could be offered to the Creator than to neglect his written word; and, conversely, there could be no truer act of homage to him than to prize it and pore over it, and then to live out and give out its teaching.” – J. I. Packer’s description of the Puritan’s devotion to Scripture


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