January 10th, 2016, Miyota Gospel Meeting
Gotthold Beck
Psalms
37:1 Don’t be angry because of those who do evil, do not be jealous because of those who commit iniquity.
37:2 Indeed, they soon will wither like grass, and like green herbs they will fade away.
37:3 Trust in the Lord and do good. Dwell in the land and feed on faithfulness.
37:4 Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
37:5 Commit your way to the Lord; Trust him, and he will act.
37:7 Be silent in the Lord’s presence and wait patiently for him. Don’t be angry because of the one whose way prospers or the one who implements evil schemes.
37:37:8 Calm your anger and abandon wrath. Don’t be angry― it only leads to evil.
37:9 Those who do evil will perish. But those who wait on the Lord will inherit the land.
37:10 Yet a little while longer, and the wicked will be no more. You will search for his place, but he will not be there.
37:11 The humble will inherit the land; they will take in abundant peace.
37:34 Wait on the Lord, Keep faithful to his way, and he will exalt you to possess the land. You will see the wicked cut off.
37:35 I once observed a wicked and oppressive person, flourishing like a green tree in native soil.
37:36 But then he passed away; in fact, he simply was not there. When I looked for him, he could not be found.
37:37 Observe the blameless! Take note of the upright! Indeed, the future of that man is peace.
37:38 Sinners will be destroyed together; the future of the wicked will be cut off.
37:39 But deliverance for the righteous one comes from the Lord; he is their strength in times of distress.
37:40 The Lord helps and delivers them; he will deliver them from the wicked, and he will save them because they have sought refuge in him.
[International Standard Version]
I used to recommend people start reading from the Gospel according to Mark, since it is the easiest to understand among all gospels. It was written, not for Jews, but for Romans and citizens of the Roman Empire. Therefore, it does not have too many quotations from the Old Testament, which makes it easier for anyone to understand.
However, I actually don't feel that way lately. We do not understand the truth by reading anyway. If we understand that it is meaningless to struggle to understand something, it is just fine. It is a blessing if we come to realize this. To those who are suffering from various problems, I often say, “Why don't you read the Psalms?” Read the Psalms with prayers, then, pray reading the Psalms. It will change the way you think. These are very nice verses too.
Psalms
37:4 Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
37:5 Commit your way to the Lord; Trust him, and he will act.
This is an unimaginably wonderful call from the Lord. It is His promise too. What David, the author of the Psalms wanted to say here was that, after all, the life that is committed to the Lord is necessary, precious, and moreover, supreme. It is a wonderful way of life. Those who trust in Jesus will never regret it. What is their life like?
The life of those who trust in Jesus is described in various ways in the Scripture. I picked up seven phrases. Let us begin from John, chapter 7.
John
7:38 The one who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, will have rivers of living water flowing from his heart.”
This verse implies that the life of Jesus' believers, those who commit themselves to Jesus, is like an overflowing river.
Secondly, again from the Gospel according to John, chapter 10, verse 10.
John
10:10 I have come that they may have life, and have it abundantly.
This verse tells me that Jesus' believers have abundant lives.
Thirdly, Jesus also said in John, chapter 15, verse 8:
John
15:8 This is how my Father is glorified, when you produce a lot of fruit and so prove to be my disciples.
According to this verse, the life of those who are connected to Jesus is a life that produces a lot of fruit.
The next phrase is from Romans, chapter 12, verse 1:
Romans
12:1 I therefore urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercies, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices that are holy and pleasing to God, for this is the reasonable way for you to worship.
This verse tells us that the life of those who trust in the Lord, is the life that is surrendered to the Lord Jesus.
The fifth phrase is from chapter 6 of Second Corinthians. Paul wrote to brothers and sisters in Corinth:
2 Corinthians
6:17 Therefore, “Get away from them and separate yourselves from them,” declares the Lord, “and don’t touch anything unclean. Then I will welcome you.
According to these words, the life of those who trust in Jesus is a life that is isolated, sanctified, and separated from unclean things.
Sixthly, this is one of the most important verses for all believers:
Galatians
2:19 I have been crucified with the Messiah.
2:20 I no longer live, but the Messiah lives in me.
According to this verse, the life of those who trust in Jesus is a life that is crucified with Christ.
And the seventh phrase is from Second Timothy. These are the remarkable words that Paul wrote to his beloved disciple, Timothy;
2 Timothy
4:7 I have fought the good fight. I have completed the race. I have kept the faith.
4:8 The victor’s crown of righteousness is now waiting for me, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on the day that he comes, and not only to me but also to all who eagerly wait for his appearing.
According to these verses, the life of those who trust in Jesus is, after all, the life of victory.
But, today, I would like to briefly discuss another aspect of the life of Jesus' believers, that is to say, the life that is committed to Jesus.
We should live the life that is committed to Jesus. As we pursue such lives, we need to pay attention to three points and always keep them in our hearts. To begin with, it is very important that we take this action with clear determination.
Psalms
37:5 Commit your way to the Lord; Trust him, and he will act.
To “commit to Him” means to trust Him, to surrender ourselves to Him, and to release ourselves to Him. When we decide to commit our ways and our lives to the Lord Jesus and surrender ourselves to Him, it is done at that very moment. When we give a gift to someone, we do not have to spend a lot of time. I just pass it to you, and you simply receive it in your hand.
Secondly, “Trust in the Lord.” This too is a clear demand. Of course, what is important here is that it is not an action that is completed in a short span of time, but an attitude that shall be maintained for the long-term. After we commit all things to Jesus, we need to maintain the same attitude and continue to live in the same complete reliance.
What is important here is that we intentionally rely on Jesus, and that all our trust must be placed on Jesus alone. After we commit all our ways and our entire lives to Him, that is to say, after this intentional action is taken, we need to maintain the same attitude and continue to deliberately rely on Him until we reach the end of our lives.
And the third great promise is given to those who intentionally commit themselves to the Lord and are determined to place complete trust in Jesus. That is to say, the Lord will accomplish all things for them. This is a promise that will never be broken. To relinquish ourselves and to surrender ourselves to Him are actions done in a single moment. Total reliance on Jesus and intentional surrender of ourselves are the attitudes that need to be maintained until the end of our lives.
And Jesus Himself has promised that His intentions will absolutely be accomplished. That is to say, Jesus Himself will bring all things to pass. Jesus Himself will accomplish what He has promised, and Jesus Himself will prove to us that He is the one who performs all miracles.
Let us suppose that you inherited one hundred million yen and you have all that money in cash in your house. Every time you leave home, you would get anxious, wouldn't you? For you are not quite sure if your money is truly secure or not. Let us say that one of your friends comes to you, gives you the names of some good banks and advises you that you will receive 10% interest every year if you deposit your money. You would happily accept that proposal and deposit your money in a bank. You come out of the bank with a peace of mind. Well, nobody gets 10% annual interest, at least today in this country. But let us suppose that this is a story of some imaginary country.
Well, you actually may not have such a large amount of money, like one hundred million yen, but you actually have something far greater than that, which is the imperishable soul. Jesus said:
Matthew
16:26 because what profit will a person have if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life? Or what can a person give in exchange for his life?
Is your imperishable soul still in your hands? Or, have you already committed it to Jesus? If it is still in your hands, you are in an extremely dangerous situation. What is it that Jesus is calling constantly toward us?
Matthew
11:28 Come to me, all of you who are weary and loaded down with burdens, and I will give you rest.
Great King Solomon once said:
Proverbs
23:26 Give me your heart, my son.
This is a completely personal call from the Lord to each one of us. He is never indifferent to anyone, but He cares about all people. There is one thing that is absolutely sure: those who are determined to commit their lives to Jesus and surrender themselves to the Lord will never ever regret it. Jesus Himself will bear the responsibility of their decision.
John
6:37 “I’ll never turn away the one who comes to me.”
It is so promised in this verse. The One who can do all things is asking us to, “Commit all things to me. Surrender all your life to me.” This is what He desires from us. Of course, He would never force us to do so. Instead, the Lord is eagerly waiting for everyone to intentionally take this very action and decide to commit themselves to Jesus.
Have we done this already? This is an action that is completed in a moment. If you haven't done it yet, it might be a good idea to do so today and write down in your Bible: “Today, this day of this month, I determined to commit all my way and my whole life to the Lord Jesus, who loved me and who even abandoned Himself for me.” This is the action that should be taken with clear intention. Have we done it already?
Of course, this is just the beginning of many things. If you deposited 100 million yen in the bank, you can live with the conviction that your money is now secure and protected, and it will bear interest at the rate of 10% every year. Likewise, if you commit your whole life to Jesus, you will be assured that your life is now safe forever. Let us look at what Jesus said.
John
10:27 My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me.
10:28 I give them eternal life, they will never be lost, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.
One of the most important teachings that Jesus wants us to learn is the fact that we can totally rely on the Lord. Jesus not only saves people, but He protects all those He saves throughout their lives.
1 Peter
5:7 “Throw all your worry on him, because he cares for you.”
When we commit all our future and all our lives to the Lord, we instantly realize that we are completely protected by the pierced hands of Jesus and we are safe forever. However, what is truly important is to completely trust in the Lord every day and every moment of our lives. In other words, we are to stop trying to attain what we want by ourselves, and cease from worrying and being troubled about anything. Having such complete reliance glorifies the Lord. This was the very attitude Paul took.
2 Timothy
1:12 “...for I know the one in whom I have put my trust, and I’m convinced that he is able to protect what he has entrusted to me until the day that he comes.”
This is such a conviction, isn't it? It is also written in the gospel according to John, chapter 1, verse 12, “to all who received him.” In other words, to those who commit themselves to the Lord and surrender to Him, “He gave authority to become God’s children.” Those who accept Jesus into their lives belong to the Lord, and they will continue to belong to the Lord. They are protected in the hands of the Lord and are secure forever. If you commit your ways to the Lord, and if you are determined to trust Him all the time, you will experience how He accomplishes all things.
That is to say, Jesus leads us to His destination. He will never fail to keep the promise He made. Jesus never fails to keep His Word and He can be trusted completely. He accomplishes all things for us.
Your bank may give you an annual interest of 10%. But, our Father, God in heaven gives us something far more precious. He gives us an annual interest of 100%, so to speak. It is written in Matthew, chapter 19, how Jesus answered the question of his disciple;
Matthew
19:27 “’Look!’ Peter replied. ‘We have left everything and followed you. So what will we get?’
19:28 Jesus told them, ‘I tell all of you with certainty, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne in the renewed creation, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, governing the twelve tribes of Israel.
19:29 In fact, everyone who has left his homes, brothers, sisters, father, mother, children, or fields because of my name will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.’”
In this verse from Psalm 37, which we read at the beginning, three important things are pointed out. Firstly:
Psalms
37:1 “Don’t be angry because of those who do evil, do not be jealous because of those who commit iniquity.”
It is pointed out here that we should not be angry or jealous. Actually, this is what we are prone to be whenever we look at other people. However, we should never forget that the sins of those whose lives are committed to Jesus are forgiven and that they are free from the burden, which is a desire to serve the Lord with their own strength.
This means the liberation from all kinds of burdens. The Lord Himself will bear its responsibility. It is already explained in the Old Testament:
Isaiah
40:11 “Like a shepherd, he tends his flock. He gathers the lambs in his arms, carries them close to his heart, and gently leads the mother sheep.”
53:4 “Surely he has borne our sufferings and carried our sorrows.”
Jesus once said in His words of farewell:
John
14:1 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me.
14:2 There are many rooms in my Father’s house. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going away to prepare a place for you?
14:3 And if I am going away to prepare a place for you, I will come back again and welcome you into my presence, so that you may be where I am.”
This is an unbelievable promise that is beyond our imagination.
Psalms
37:11 “The humble will inherit the land; they will take in abundant peace.”
Isaiah
26:3 “You will keep perfectly peaceful the one whose mind remains focused on you, because he remains in you.
26:4 Trust in the Lord forever, for in the Lord God you have an everlasting rock.”
Here, it is promised that if we intentionally surrender our entire lives to Jesus and completely rely on Him, the peace of the Lord Himself that exceeds all human thoughts, will protect our hearts and minds in the Lord Jesus. If we entrust our whole lives into the hands of Jesus, His hands that were pierced for us will never, ever let us go. Let us look at this wonderful promise in Hebrews, chapter 13, verse 5;
Hebrew
13:5 “...for God has said, ‘I will never leave you or abandon you.’
13:6 Hence we can confidently say, ’The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can anyone do to me?’”
Jesus will accomplish all things and will let us clearly understand how great He is. We are compelled to thank Him when we think of this fact.
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