Sunday, March 28, 2021

Sunday Sermon Outline: Approaching God in Faith

"Approaching God in Faith"
Psalm 15
 
Introduction: 
    Psalm 15:1-5, “LORD, who may dwell in Your sanctuary? Who may live on Your holy hill? 2 He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from his heart 3 and has no slander on his tongue, who does his neighbor no wrong and casts no slur on his fellowman, 4 who despises a vile man but honors those who fear the LORD, who keeps his oath even when it hurts, 5 who lends his money without usury and does not accept a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things will never be shaken.” 
 
I. One Who Walks Right vs. 2a, 3a, 4a, 5a
    V. 2a, “He whose walk is blameless.”  
        Genesis 6:9, “Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God.” 
        Genesis 17:1-2,  “walk before Me and be blameless. 2 I will confirm My covenant between Me and you and will greatly increase your numbers.”
        Psalm 18:20-23, “The LORD has dealt with me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me. 21 For I have kept the ways of the LORD; I have not done evil by turning from my God. 22 All His laws are before me; I have not turned away from His decrees. 23 I have been blameless before Him and have kept myself from sin.”
       Luke 1:6, “Both of them were upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord's commandments and regulations blamelessly.”
        Philippians 2:15, “become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe.”
fers three examples in the next three verses:

    v. 3a, “He has no slander on his tongue.”
    v. 4a, “He despises a vile man.” 
        Matthew 21:12-13, “Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. 13 "It is written," He said to them, "'My house will be called a house of prayer,' but you are making it a 'den of robbers.'"”
        Acts 17:16 (NAS), “while Paul was … at Athens, his spirit was being provoked within him as he was beholding the city full of idols.” 
        Ephesians 5:11, “Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.” 
        2 John 9-11, “Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take him into your house or welcome him. 11 Anyone who welcomes him shares in his wicked work.”

    v. 5a, “He who lends his money without usury (interest).” 
        Romans 8:32 (NAS), “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?” 
        Luke 6:34-35, “And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' lend to 'sinners,' expecting to be repaid in full. 35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because He is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.”

II. One Who Does Right vs. 2b, 3b, 4b, 5b
    V. 2b, “One who does what is righteous.” 
        1 Peter 2:24 (NAS), “He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness;” 
        2 Timothy 3:16-17, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” 
        1 John 3:7, “Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. He who does what is right is righteous, just as He is righteous.”
        1 John 3:10 (NAS), “By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother.”

    V. 3b, “does his neighbor no wrong.” 
        1 Thessalonians 5:15, “Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.”

    V. 4b, “honors those who fear the LORD.”  
        Romans 12:10 (NAS), “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor.”

    V. 5b, “does not accept a bribe against the innocent.” 
        Matthew 27:3-5, “When Judas, who had betrayed Him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the elders. 4 "I have sinned," he said, "for I have betrayed innocent blood." "What is that to us?" they replied. "That's your responsibility." 5 So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself.”
        Acts 24:26, “[Felix] was hoping that Paul would offer him a bribe, so he sent for him frequently and talked with him.”

III. One Who Speaks Right vs. 2c, 3c, 4c
     V. 2c, “speaks truth from his heart.”
        Psalm 51:6 (NAS), “Behold, Thou dost desire truth in the innermost being ...”
         Ephesians 4:25, “Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body.”

    V. 3c, “casts no slur on his fellowman.”
    V. 4c, “keeps his oath, even when it hurts.” 
        James 5:12, “Let your "Yes" be yes, and your "No," no, or you will be condemned.”
 
Conclusion:
    “LORD, who may dwell in Your sanctuary? Who may live on Your holy hill? 2 He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from his heart 3 and has no slander on his tongue, who does his neighbor no wrong and casts no slur on his fellowman, 4 who despises a vile man but honors those who fear the LORD, who keeps his oath even when it hurts, 5 who lends his money without usury and does not accept a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things will never be shaken.”

Matthew 7:24-25, “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.”