Welcome to this Hi-C Sunday service!
Today’s message continues on the theme of building a relationship with God, this time via the Word of God. For the first part of this series, go to Building a Relationship with God via Prayer.
Message Text
Today we talk about Part 2 in the series: Building a Relationship with God. There are obviously so many things related to such a big topic, but I want to provide some essential foundations.
The retreat was really to provide the important foundations of our faith journey. Let’s do another recap, as I will continue to come back to these themes. So what were some of the themes we covered at the retreat?
- Identity
We are children of God, loved by Him and whom God is pleased with. It doesn’t matter what else the world says about who we need to be or what we need to do, if we are firm in our identity as God’s beloved child, then we can face the world with greater confidence.
- Community
Faith does not grow alone. We are meant to be in community with one another. A community built on love, acceptance and sharing life. A community that prays for one another.
- Purpose
When our identity is secure and we are in a community that nurtures one another, we are able to find our purpose for our lives.
Our purpose for life grows clearer as we grow in our relationship with God.
So a relationship with God is fundamental to securing our identity and discovering the purpose that God has in mind for my life.
Last week we talked about one important aspect of building this relationship with God. And this was by prayer.
We discovered how prayer is not really the words we use or the actions we take, but the state of our hearts. Prayer is opening our hearts to God, being nakedly honest, weak and vulnerable in front of Him. When we do that, God’s Spirit searches our hearts and prays on our behalf with sighs too deep for words. Even though what we discover about ourselves may not be pleasant, God’s grace and unconditional love for us gives us courage to face that. Then the peace of God will be in our hearts.
So having such a prayer life of opening our hearts is important.
But without any other guidance, it’s difficult to build a prayer life of substance. We need some solid food to help us in this prayerful journey.
And that is the topic of today. I want to talk about the Word of God. The Bible. (slide)
What is the Bible?
It’s an ancient book. In fact, it is a collection of different books and writings written by many different authors over a long period of time. In fact, some books are thoughts to have multiple authors whose writings were edited into one book. Genesis is one example of such a book where scholars have determined that there were multiple authors.
But one thing that is clear: many people throughout history have relied upon the books of the Bible for wisdom and guidance on life. These books were written by human beings, but the insights were such that many declared them to be inspired by God.
As human beings, our understanding of the world and life is limited, but the Bible is seen as a glimpse of God’s revelation to us.
There may be many questions you have about the Bible, and today we will have a chance to discuss some of these questions in your small groups.
There are so many aspects to the Bible, but one aspect I want to emphasize today is this: the Word of God is about life.
When read and understood properly, the Bible provides the most solid foundation for your life.
Happy are those
who do not follow the advice of the wicked,
or take the path that sinners tread,
or sit in the seat of scoffers;
2 but their delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law they meditate day and night.
3 They are like trees
planted by streams of water,
which yield their fruit in its season,
and their leaves do not wither.
In all that they do, they prosper.
There is much that is confusing about the Bible, and that’s understandable. It was written so long ago, in a time and place that is so different from today. So it’s very easy to think that what they wrote way back then doesn’t apply to my life right now.
But you know what? Some of the basic questions we have about life have been with us from the beginning of humankind. And even though the Bible is an ancient collection of writings, the authors examined these basic questions about life. Questions such as:
- What am I here?
- What is the purpose for my life?
- What is the meaning of life?
- How do I live a good life?
Beneath the ancient language used is an enormous treasure of wisdom – God’ inspired wisdom. There is such truth that we cannot but conclude that this is indeed the Word of God!
My friends, there are so many voice and opinions in this world. Our parents, friends, experts, leaders, teachers and so many more all have their opinions about life. And without a solid grounding in truth, it is very easy to be swayed by such opinions.
There was a time in my mid-20’s, after I graduated from university and had been working, that I stopped attending church. I thought that the teachings of the church were irrelevant for my life. I didn’t believe in a lot of the things I was taught at church.
I instead listened to wisdom of the world and its experts. I thought I was smarter than faith or religion. But because I had read a lot of the Bible in my younger years, there was something about it that made me feel like I was missing something.
And so with Rev. In Kee Kim, we began a serious Bible study. This wasn’t just about learning Bible stories that we learn in Sunday school, but a serious look into what the Bible actually says, and what that means for my life and this world. It was by diving deep that I realized: these really are the words of life! This is the Word of God!
My dear friends, I pray sincerely that your foundation for life may be built upon the Word of God. You will have to go through your own journey to discover how the Word is made real in your life, but I pray that you will take this journey.
I’ve said before that I encourage you to try reading the Bible on your own, and ask me if you have any questions. That is the essence of my job as your youth pastor, so I hope you do so.
But since we spoke about prayer as a foundation of our relationship with God, I want to provide some specific guidance from the Bible to help you establish this prayer life and relationship with God.
And that is to start with the book of Psalms.
Psalms is actually a collection of many different hymns and prayers. By reading through the psalms, you get a rich sense of how people have poured out their hearts to God. There are psalms of joy and celebration, psalms of fear and grief, psalms of asking for courage.
Many songs that we sing are based on verses in these psalms.
Let’s look at some that reflect the wide variety of emotions that we go through in life:
Gratitude and Rejoicing:
Psalm 9:1-2
1 I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart;
I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.
2 I will be glad and exult in you;
I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.
Psalm 138:1-3
1 I give you thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart;
before the gods I sing your praise;
2 I bow down toward your holy temple
and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness;
for you have exalted your name and your word
above everything.[a]
3 On the day I called, you answered me,
you increased my strength of soul.[b]
Psalm 36:7-9
7 How precious is your steadfast love, O God!
All people may take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
8 They feast on the abundance of your house,
and you give them drink from the river of your delights.
9 For with you is the fountain of life;
in your light we see light.
There are many psalms that reflect sorrow and grief:
Psalm 42:3
3 My tears have been my food
day and night,
while people say to me continually,
“Where is your God?”
Psalm 22:1-2
1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from helping me, from the words of my groaning?
2 O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer;
and by night, but find no rest.
Psalm 22:1
1 Why, O Lord, do you stand far off?
Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?
Many psalms are prayers of despair and yet still clinging onto hope:
Psalm 13
1 How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
2 How long must I bear pain[a] in my soul,
and have sorrow in my heart all day long?
How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?
3 Consider and answer me, O Lord my God!
Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep the sleep of death,
4 and my enemy will say, “I have prevailed”;
my foes will rejoice because I am shaken.
5 But I trusted in your steadfast love;
my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
6 I will sing to the Lord,
because he has dealt bountifully with me.
And still others are prayers for courage to face whatever situation might come:
Psalm 23:4
4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley,[a]
I fear no evil;
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff—
they comfort me.
Psalm 34:18
18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted,
and saves the crushed in spirit.
Psalm 32:7
7 You are a hiding place for me;
you preserve me from trouble;
you surround me with glad cries of deliverance.
Aren’t these passages beautiful? They reflect the full range of human emotion and experience. So you see, like I said last week, prayer is not about presenting a certain face to God. It’s about being nakedly honest about what we’re going through, of pouring our heart out to God.
You can use these psalms to help you in your prayer life. Perhaps some of these psalms may help you articulate what is going on in your own heart.
Finally, some of my favourite passage are taken from Psalms. I pray that these verses can be a foundation for your life.
Psalm 1:1-3
1 Happy are those
who do not follow the advice of the wicked,
or take the path that sinners tread,
or sit in the seat of scoffers;
2 but their delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law they meditate day and night.
3 They are like trees
planted by streams of water,
which yield their fruit in its season,
and their leaves do not wither.
In all that they do, they prosper.
Some of these next few are taken from perhaps my favourite psalm, Psalm 119. It’s a very long one, but if you digest portions at a time, they are indeed food for the soul. I strongly encourage you to go through this one when you can.
Psalm 119:105
105 Your word is a lamp to my feet
and a light to my path.
Psalm 119:1-3
1 Happy are those whose way is blameless,
who walk in the law of the Lord.
2 Happy are those who keep his decrees,
who seek him with their whole heart,
3 who also do no wrong,
but walk in his ways.
Psalm 119:9-10
9 How can young people keep their way pure?
By guarding it according to your word.
10 With my whole heart I seek you;
do not let me stray from your commandments.
Psalm 119:35-36
34 Give me understanding, that I may keep your law
and observe it with my whole heart.
35 Lead me in the path of your commandments,
for I delight in it.
36 Turn my heart to your decrees,
and not to selfish gain.
How beautiful are these words! May your whole heart seek God. May you indeed be like trees planted by streams of water, so that you may be strong and yield fruit.
I pray that the Word of God may be real in your lives and help you in your journey in life. The Word gives life, it provides guidance for life, and I pray that it lays a solid foundation for your life as you carry on this week and in the months and years to come.
Amen.
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