The Psalm That Never Ends | Ps. Nate Capshaw

Welcome to the Celebration Church Orlando podcast.

Thank you so much for listening today.

We hope it encourages you and inspires you.

Here's today's message.

Good morning.

Good morning.

Good morning.

How are we doing, guys?

Everybody good?

All right.

Good.

I'm so glad that uh you're here this morning.

I'm just gonna set that there.

I got too much going on.

Welcome.

If this is uh your first time here, I want to extend a special welcome to you.

My name's Nate.

Uh I'm one of the pastors here.

Uh so thankful that uh you've joined us this morning.

If you're online, I don't know which camera, but if you're online, welcome.

We're so thankful uh that you are with us too.

We would uh we'd love to have you uh join us in the building if you are willing and able.

Uh and if you find yourself in the Orlando area.

Uh on behalf of our lead pastors, Pastor Keats and Pastor Megan Pittman, uh, want to say welcome to everybody uh who's here today, especially if this is your home.

Welcome back.

Um if you don't know, you're now you know the Pastor Keats and Pastor Megan are are on a sabbatical uh kind of disconnecting a little bit from work mode, still obviously uh following God, but uh they are going to just kind of rest uh and recharge, but also spend this time thinking about uh what's next for Celebration Orlando, kind of hearing from God uh for for our direction.

And so we're so thankful for them and the opportunity that they get uh to do that.

Uh but I want to kind of reiterate a couple of things that that Pastor Keith said uh a couple weeks ago.

Uh number one, he said, uh continue to pray.

And I would encourage you to continue to pray for your pastors.

We don't pray for our pastors just because they're on sabbatical, we pray for our pastors because we pray for our pastors.

So continue to pray, continue to pray for your church, continue to pray for your community and your nation.

Number two, participate.

Continue to participate at Celebration Church.

Uh, we are participators.

We engage God's presence, we engage the things of God.

So continue to participate.

Uh, Eileen mentioned earlier in serving.

If you're on a team, continue to do so, or maybe you can join a team.

Also in community.

Don't forsake the gathering, don't forsake the Sunday gathering.

And also during the week, we have summer city dinners uh going on as well.

And uh, this is a great way for you to get connected to other people who follow Jesus and get to know their story and hear a little bit more about uh them and their walk, and you guys can do uh life together.

So that's another way to stay participating as well.

But uh continue to participate in bringing your tithe and offering to the Lord.

Last week we had seven people who decided to get baptized.

Can we go ahead and celebrate seven people?

When you're faithful and continuing to worship God in that area, it allows us to transport a baptismal here, fill it up with water, and celebrate a public declaration of faith.

So continue to pray, continue to participate.

Pastor Keith and Pastor Megan will be back with us on August 7th.

Sound good?

Sounds good.

All right, we're gonna get right into it.

Uh, as the uh beautiful video said, we are in a new series called Songs of the Summer.

Songs of the Summer, and we're gonna be looking at a playlist, if you will, of some Psalms.

And we're gonna be hearing from uh different members of our celebration family, both here in Orlando and uh from other locations as well.

So stay connected uh with that.

But uh, if you haven't read the Psalms before, I'd encourage you to do that.

Uh, it covers a spectrum of emotions.

Uh, it covers both uh the good, the bad, the ugly, and everything in between.

The psalms is a great representation of the human experience.

Um I read a quote earlier this week that I thought was brilliant on the Psalms.

It says, Most of the Bible speaks to us, but the Psalms speak for us.

How about a great depiction of worship, right?

God's word being spoken back to him.

Everything that we have is a gift from God, and the way that we worship him with it is we return it back to him.

This morning uh we're gonna be looking at a psalm, but before we do so, uh, I want to let you know that the Psalms is a collection of poetry, and it's broken down into five unique books.

It's written by several different authors, and you're probably familiar with one of those authors being King David.

He he's attributed to having about 73 psalms uh written by him.

Moses also gets credit for his psalm, and there's probably some psalms written by a couple of the prophets as well.

Uh as I mentioned, these psalms contain uh psalms of lament, psalms of sadness and sorrow, psalms of great praise and joy, psalms of wisdom and teaching.

There's a little bit of everything for us in the book.

Today we're gonna be looking at the longest psalm uh in the Bible.

So go ahead and turn in your Bibles to Psalm chapter 119.

Psalms 119 · chapter mention

Psalm chapter 119.

Psalms 119 · chapter mention

Not only is this the longest psalm in the Psalter, but like I mentioned, it's the longest chapter in our Bibles.

Um, the authorship uh of this psalm is actually uncertain.

Some attribute it to David.

Uh, I would tend to probably lean towards the fact that this is uh maybe one of the prophets, perhaps Ezra Ezra or uh Jeremiah.

Regardless, most people agree that this psalm was written uh over a lifetime, so it was not just in one sitting, but it was over the poet's lifetime that they penned this writing, and you can probably, as you read it, understand why people would say that, because it just goes like this.

It's it's the ebbs and flows of our life.

Uh a quick and kind of fun, interesting fact about Psalm 119 is it's actually an alphabetical acrostic.

In other words, it's broken up into eight verse sections, and the beginning line of each section uh is the beginning of one, the letter of a Hebrew alphabet.

So the first eight verses are the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet, the second eight are the second, so on and so forth.

Psalm 119.

Hope you have your Bibles with you this morning.

We're gonna be looking at verse number 97.

So go ahead and scroll down verse number 97.

Oh, how I love your instructions.

I think about them all day long.

Your commands make me wiser than my enemies, for they are my constant guide.

Yes, I have more insight than my teachers, for I am always thinking of your laws.

I'm even wiser than my elders, for I have kept your commandments.

I have refused to walk on any evil path, so that I may remain obedient to your word.

I haven't turned away from your regulations, for you have taught me well how sweet your words taste to me.

They are sweeter than honey.

Your commandments give me understanding.

No wonder I hate every false way of life.

For all the studious ones in here this morning, and you want to refer to some notes later, uh, the title today is This Is the Psalm That Never Ends.

This is the Psalm, and now that's in your head.

You're welcome.

Let's bow our heads in prayer.

Heavenly Father, we uh we thank you, God.

We thank you for the moments that we share, God.

We thank you just for the ability to gather, Lord.

Uh God, I pray that you would bless each person in here.

God, I pray that you would um speak to us both individually and collectively.

And I pray most importantly, you would uh just remove me out of the picture so that we can only see you and we can only hear from you.

It's in Jesus' name we pray everybody said.

Amen.

Anybody ever been uh borderline obsessed with something?

You've kind of had like an infatuation with something, yeah.

Okay.

Uh a couple years ago that happened to me, uh, and it was the game of golf.

And uh my wife is shaking her head right now because she's like, you're still obsessed with the game of golf.

But I I would argue that a few years ago it was a little bit stronger, okay?

So uh I I grew up playing golf as a kid.

I I got my first set of clubs, maybe I don't know, I was six, seven years old, and uh I really looked up to my uncles and they played uh golf, so I got to have some good memories of playing with them, and I even have some fond memories of playing golf with my dad as well.

Something happened though in in my teenage years where I didn't really play as much.

I I kind of put the clubs down as it were, and uh, even my early adult years, uh, I ended up selling my clubs, and Sean is saying, blasphemy.

Uh but a few years ago I I came to Celebration Church and I started to get involved in the community and meet some guys, and uh they ended up uh being playing golf all the time, and so to continue in that uh and build that relationship, I decided to pick the game back up again.

So I bought some clubs and started playing.

And something happened to me that uh a lot of golfers uh would say happens when they either pick up the game for the first time or re-engage in it.

And this phrase could be used in other contexts, but I believe it applies specifically to the game of golf.

And it's I got the bug.

I got the bug.

I I couldn't put the sticks down, I couldn't stop playing.

I was on Saturdays always at the golf course, I was at the driving range way too much, spending too much money on golf.

I was constantly in the living room with the club, kind of working on the swing a little bit, and Jen's like, you're gonna break the pottery.

And and and I'm watching too much golf because if you don't understand, it's all year round.

From Thursday to Sunday, they're playing, and so spending way too much time watching golf.

What do we do when we love something?

Well, what do we do when we love something or someone?

We tend to spend copious amounts of time thinking about that something or someone.

The poet of this psalm relays to us that this is how he feels about God's word.

He thinks about it all day long.

Now, this language is obviously hyperbole because we all have responsibilities, we all have relationships that we need to tend to.

But what I think the author is trying to communicate here is that every situation in our life, God's word should be considered.

His ways should be at the forefront of our thoughts and our actions.

The writer goes on to inform us that God's word has the ability to make us wiser than our enemies.

What if I told you that the only upper hand you needed against your foe was the word of God?

Did you know that the devil knows the scriptures?

He quoted them to Jesus in the wilderness.

Did you know that there are a lot of people who don't even follow God, don't even claim to be a Christian, and know more than the bot know more of the Bible than a lot of Christians?

Anybody in school right now?

Anyone taking classes, maybe summer class, you're gonna go back in the fall, me too, I'm finishing up here.

Have you ever sat in a class and thought, um, would someone just let me get up and teach this thing?

Uh, because I think I know a little bit more about the subject than this teacher does.

Now I'm not saying that you're gonna find uh the answers to your calculus test in the book of numbers.

Bible joke.

But what I am saying, back on track.

But what I am saying is that God's word will give you wisdom and understanding beyond your years.

My parents instilled at me at a young age uh an affinity for the things of God, for his ways, for his word.

And I remember often whenever our family was faced with a decision that could possibly be life-altering, my dad would always come and ask for my opinion on it.

I mean, I'm talking I'm a I'm a kid.

He would ask for my input.

To this day, I still get calls from my father asking for counsel, and I do my best to speak into those things.

My dad is sowing the seed that he planted years ago, and that is an affinity, uh a delight in the words and the ways of God.

Finally, the poet then lays out the secret formula for avoiding sin.

He he tells us everything you need to know about living right.

You ready?

It's the word of God.

It's God's word.

Yeah, but Nate, you don't understand, like I I'm wrestled with this thing for years, I just can't seem to shake it.

I know.

Me too.

Nate, you don't understand my schedule.

I I I try, I try to get in God's word, I try to be consistent with it, but sometimes things just come.

I know.

Me too.

Nate, I I have this this picture of the person that I want to be, but but I I fall short every time.

I know.

Me too.

But I got good news for you, friends.

Your justification, your right standing with God, your salvation, your favor from God is not based upon the amount of scripture that you know, how much you read it.

Your justification, your right standing with God is because God's word became flesh.

God's word dwelt among us.

When Jesus at 12 years old is in the temple, he's gathered by all the teachers of the day.

And they're just standing in awe of his wisdom.

God's word provides wisdom beyond your years.

When Jesus is in the wilderness being tempted by the devil, and he's spouting scriptures at Jesus, he says, Yeah, that's what that says, but here's what it actually means.

God's word became flesh.

Jesus walking 33 years on this life, avoiding the path of sin.

God's word becoming flesh for you, for me, taking on my fault, my sin.

That's good news.

That's good news.

For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourself.

It is a gift of God.

So why?

So that you and I can't boast about it.

It is all because the word became flesh.

Okay, so a lot of times we we we pick God's instructions versus his grace.

Nate, do I do I need do I need God's instructions?

Do I need the Bible or do I need Jesus?

Yes.

Oftentimes the the the walk of the Christian is both.

We need both the written word, but we need the word that became flesh.

If you think about uh the original unveiling of God's law, it's to his children right after uh they've been freed from bondage, long, long years of bondage in Egypt, slavery.

And so God frees them from that, and then he unveils the law.

I would propose to you that God's instructions and God's grace are the complete package, they complement one another.

I think that the instructions and the ways of God are actually a form of grace.

Think about them having to try and figure out in the wilderness by themselves, how do I please God?

I don't know.

All that I know is the things of Egypt, all that I know is the ways of Pharaoh.

Think about us.

Uh what if we were trying to do this thing alone, trying to please God without any of his ways, any of his teachings?

God told his children, okay, now that I've freed you, here's my word.

Listen to me, folks.

Because God has freed us, here is his word.

Here are his ways.

Uh whenever we read scripture, we also have to keep in mind the context of and the time period uh of when the author is writing this.

And so at this time, uh the the author of this uh poem would only have what we refer to as the Pentateuch or the first five books of the Old Testament.

Some would even suggest that he only even has a portion of those scriptures.

He may not even have all that's available to him.

Some thousands of years later, here we are, we find ourselves with the complete Word of God.

We find ourselves not only with that, but we find ourselves with the revelation of God, God became flesh, Jesus Christ.

And we also have the Holy Spirit that's been given to us that can live on the inside of us and dwell in us and give us the wisdom that we need and give us the ways that we need.

How much more should we be able to relish in God's word?

It's at our fingertips, it's on our phones.

How much more should we delight in it as well?

Now, I'm not saying that the Bible fixes all your problems.

I'm not even suggesting that Jesus magically fixes all your problems.

But what I am saying is that the word of God, the word that became flesh, is the firmest foundation you can stand on when you walk through them.

There are a couple things that I think God's word is for us, and I would love to share those with you this morning from right here in Psalm 119.

Number one, God's word is empowering.

God's word is empowering.

Psalm 119, verse number nine.

How can a young person stay pure?

By obeying your word.

I've tried hard to find you.

Don't let me wander from your commands.

I've hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.

When we engage God's word, God's word empowers us.

Many of us have the Bible conceptually in our minds or in theory, but do we have it in our hearts?

Do we have it when we're confronted, we're able to overcome?

Do we have it a part of us?

Is it in our DNA?

God's word is empowering when we engage it.

Also, God's word is imposing.

God's word is imposing.

Same chapter 119, verse 73.

You made me.

You created me.

Now give me the sense to follow your commands.

May all who fear you find in me a cause for joy, for I have put my hope in your word.

I know, O Lord, that your regulations are fair.

You disciplined me because I needed it.

If you engage God's word, it will impose upon your status quo.

God's word will impose upon your status quo.

It may even make you a little bit uncomfortable.

But can I stand here and tell you today, that's okay.

That's alright, guys.

We worship our comfort, don't we?

Don't make me feel a certain type of way.

But that's alright.

God's word will impose upon your status quo.

If you're not ready to change, you're probably not ready to read the word of God.

I'm not talking about punishment.

Let me be very clear.

I'm not talking about punishment.

Because you, if you are in Christ, the punishment for your sin was laid on the word that became flesh.

I'm talking about discipline.

God corrects his children.

Why?

Because he loves him.

Any good parent knows that, right?

You want your kids to be better.

You want your kids to avoid maybe some of the mistakes that you've made.

So you discipline them because you love them.

Also, I think God's word is unpopular.

I think God's word is unpopular.

Uh Psalm 21.

You rebuke the arrogant.

Those who wander from your commands are cursed.

Don't let them scorn and insult me, for I have obeyed your laws.

Even princes sit and speak against me.

But I will meditate on your decrees.

Your laws please me, and they give me wise advice.

The author here is experiencing, uh he's uh it looks like he's facing some pushback, right?

Some from people in high places.

I think that engaging God's word could cost us some popularity points at times.

First Corinthians says that that the ways of God are foolish to the world.

But the good thing is, whenever we get on the side of it, whenever we become one of his followers, the ways of the world start to look foolish to us, don't they?

Not only uh is God's word unpopular, but I think Jesus is unpopular.

Praying for your enemies is unpopular.

Selling your possessions and giving the money to the poor is unpopular.

For forgiving someone who has offended you 490 times is unpopular.

If you're not sure what I'm referring to, that's in Matthew 18.

In John chapter 15, Jesus is talking to the people around him, and he says, All right, guys.

John 15 · chapter mention

I gotta let you in on something.

They're probably not gonna like you.

They're probably not gonna like you.

Why?

Because they don't like me.

So if you're with me, they may not like you.

But the good thing about the unpopularity and the way that it imposes is Jesus is empowering.

Jesus is empowering.

Last week we we celebrated Pentecost.

We celebrated the giving of his spirit.

The word that became flesh actually empowered us through his spirit in Acts chapter 1.

Acts 1 · chapter mention

Receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you.

Do you know you have power and authority in Christ?

We have that available to us, and we can access that as well.

Do you tap in to that power?

Do you tap into that authority?

I'm not talking about uh oppression or anything like that.

I'm talking about being able to be wiser than the teachers, to to be able to walk the path and not sway.

That's available to us because of God's word and God's word that became flesh.

I'm gonna go ahead and invite the team, the worship team to come up, and we're gonna take communion here in a moment.

We may all fall short of this.

I know I do.

But but the reason why this is the psalm that never ends is not only because it's the longest psalm, but it's a psalm that never ends is because it's a lifetime worth of reading.

It's a lifetime worth of following.

What's changed my life the most is God's word.

Reading it, studying it, applying it to my life, meditating on it.

That word meditate actually meaning to mutter it under my breath.

Sometimes I'm not muttering the right things under my breath, but we're we're all getting there, right?

To literally walk in it.

That's what's changed my life.

But what gave me new life in the first place was the word that became flesh.

Jesus Christ.

He took my fault, he took my pain, he took my sin.

He walked this thing out perfectly.

And he took it to the cross for you, for me.

And we can be redeemed because of that.

Uh let's go ahead and bow our heads.

I just want to give us a moment before we take communion to kind of set ourselves apart and just meditate for a little bit on God's goodness and his word and be thankful for what he's done for us.

If you're in here and you don't know the word, not necessarily you don't know the Bible, but if you don't know the word that became flesh, if you if you don't have a relationship with Jesus, I want to give you an opportunity to do that.

We all have sinned and fallen short of God's glory, but the good thing is we're saved by grace through faith alone.

If you're in here and you say, you know what, I want to know the word.

I want to know the word became flesh and begin to live my life for Jesus.

With every head bowed, every eye closed, just gonna ask you to just slip up a hand.

Would you slip up a hand right now and just say, I want to know Jesus?

Amen.

Amen.

God bless you.

Amen, God bless you.

There's nothing supernatural about the hand, but we believe that it is a representation of what's going on in the heart.

God, God, you see every hand, Lord, and more importantly, you know every heart, Father.

So I pray right now that you begin to stir them, to change them, to save them.

In Jesus' name.

Thanks again for listening.

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