Sermon: Pathway Lights - Part 2

Let us begin today by turning to Psalm 119:105, where we began Part 1 of this sermon.

Psalm 119:105
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

We are in the way or journey of life and the Word of God is a light unto our path.  It is as if each scripture was one of those lamps we see along a path or walkway in the evening.

The purpose of my sermon today is to make each scripture a lamp for your feet as you travel through the Salvation Process.  That is, “Light your path.”

I am going give you a number of lights in the form of a set of questions.  Each question will lead us to a scripture you can use as a light for your path.

In Part 1 we made it through Light 25.  We will begin Part 2 with Light 25.

Light 25: What is your highest responsibility regarding the power of God that is in you, the Holy Spirit?

1 Thessalonians 5:19
Quench not the Spirit.

Notice the Matthew Henry commentary on this…

Quench not the Spirit - for it is this Spirit of grace and supplication that helpeth our infirmities, that assisteth us in our prayers and thanksgivings. Christians are said to be baptized with the Holy Spirit and with fire. [It] worketh as fire, by enlightening, enlivening, and purifying the souls of men. We must be careful not to quench this holy fire. As fire is put out by withdrawing fuel, so we quench the Spirit if we do not stir up our spirits, and all that is within us, to comply with the motions [workings] of the [Holy] Spirit; and as fire is quenched by pouring water, or putting a great quantity of dirt upon it, so we must be careful not to quench the Holy Spirit by indulging carnal lusts and affections, or minding only earthly things. ~ Matthew Henry

Light 26: According to 1 Thessalonians 5 what are you commanded to do regarding the Bible?

1 Thessalonians 5:21
Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.

Now wouldn’t it be simple if this was the only verse on this element that you had to know but here are many.  From all those verses I came up this this list:

1] Know the scriptures.
2] Know and review often, the doctrines of the church.
3] Renew your mind by full immersion into the Word of God, thus proving what the will of God is [Romans 12:2].
4] Speak to God [
pray] (1 Corinthians 14:27-28).
5] Be sincere and without offence (Philippians 1:10).
6] Try all spirits and all your thoughts (1 John 4:1).
7] Prove your teachers and ministers (Matthew 7:15-20 and Revelation 2:2).
8] Have readiness of mind by being immersed in the Word of God (Acts 17:11).
9] Do not believe anything, including sermons, papers, booklets, tapes, doctrinal explanations, ministers or teachers until you prove it yourself with your Bible.
10] Never become a victim of a slick but false argument or a powerful and dynamic but false speaker or teacher.
11] Know the difference between
Good and Bad theology.
12] Hold fast and protect what you have proven as true. Embrace it. Make it a part of your mind and character.

Light 27:  According to 1 Timothy 4, we are to be an example of the believers in the church.  How are we to do that?

1 Timothy 4:12-13
Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.

Light 28:  Sometimes when we are moving forward in the process we get rebuked.  What, in this regard, are we working toward?  What is the ultimate goal regarding the rebuke we receive?

1 Timothy 6:14
That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ:

Now a couple of commentaries and a remark:

So that there be no occasion for reproach or reproof.
Barnes

Let there be nothing in thy conduct or spirit contrary to this truth. Keep the truth, and the truth will keep thee.-
-Clarke’s

Most biblical rebuke is from the Lord and this is the clear intent here. These elements of being without spot and unrebukeable are personal and between God and the firstfruit. The verse is not an encouragement for one in the congregation to go looking for "spots" in their brethren or to personally rebuke them. The whole verse is taking about the overall concept of lifelong character development in the Salvation Process rather than the event of a sin being committed. In other words, a "spot" is not necessarily a committed sin. It is development of conduct, habit or thinking that is contrary to doctrine and the character of Christ. Only God can ultimate judge this. If we, over a period of time [a process], stray from the doctrine and the Salvation Process [backsliding], we open ourselves to rebuke from God.

Light 29: We are to be a partaker of the afflictions of the gospel.  How is that done?  By what power?

2 Timothy 1:8-9
Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God; Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.

Let me give you a verse regarding the power of God in our lives:

Acts 1:8
But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Light 30: What have we learned lately about the pureness coming from the throne of God?  What have we learned in the past about “improper mixtures?”

James 1:27
Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

Note: If a person's religion is impure, it will be found out. True religion is diligent and goes beyond the simple gesture of mercy. It is founded on one's character and the invoking of the Holy Spirit. It is selfless and is often done with only God watching.

Note: Pure religion takes diligent action. When our focus is Christ, the Word of God and action invoked with diligence and perseverance we remain unspotted from the world.

Light 31: According to James 4 and 1 Peter 5 what are we to do in the sight of the Lord?  Now if we do this thing, what will God do to us in return?

James 4:10
Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

1 Peter 5:6
Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

Light 32: As we see the coming of the Lord getting closer and it is always getting closer, what are we to be doing according to James 5?

James 5:8
Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.

Let us explore that phrase, “stablish your hearts.”

[Stablish your hearts] Let your purposes and your faith be firm and unwavering. Do not become weary and fretful; but bear with constancy all that is laid upon you, until the time of your deliverance shall come.
Barnes

[Establish your hearts] Take courage; do not sink under your trials. Clarke

"Establish your hearts-let your faith be firm, without wavering, your practice of what is good constant and continued, without tiring, and your resolutions for God and heaven fixed, in spite of all sufferings or temptations." The prosperity of the wicked and the affliction of the righteous have in all ages been a very great trial to the faith of the people of God. David tells us that his feet were almost gone, when he saw the prosperity of the wicked, Psalm 73:2-3. Some of those Christians to whom James wrote might probably be in the same tottering condition; and therefore they are called upon to establish their hearts; faith and patience will establish the heart. –Matthew Henry

The many elements of righteousness that we see in this study will mean little if we lack patience and firmness of faith. We must have unwavering faith in the fact that God is on His own timetable and His timetable is PERFECT. God is perfect in all His ways and His plan cannot be stopped by anything in the Universe. Regardless of what happens in the world between now and the return of Christ [
and it will get very bad], we must keep our eye on the perfection of Almighty God.

Light 33:  God is Holy.  We know this.  What are we supposed to do about it according to 1 Peter?

1 Peter 1:15-16
But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

Here is a commentary on the phrase, “Be ye holy.”

Be ye holy; for I am. It is ME you have to do with. Ye are mine. We are too prone to have respect unto men (
Calvin). Since I am the fountain of holiness, being holy in my essence, be ye zealous to partake of holiness, that ye may be as I am (Didymus). The creature is holy only in so far as it is sanctified by God. God, in giving the command, is willing to give also the power to obey, through the sanctifying Spirit (1 Peter 1:2). –JFB

Light 34: Regarding the brethren what does 1 Peter 3 say we are to be?

1 Peter 3:8
Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:

A word about the phrase there, “Be all of one mind:”

Be ye all of one mind. This recalls the "one accord" of Pentecost, or Paul's injunctions to the Philippians to be "in one spirit" (
Philippians 1:27) and "like-minded, having the same love, being of one mind, of one spirit" (Philippians 2:2), followed closely by his gripping outline of the mind of Christ. Peter's catalog of accompanying graces reads like the gracious self-effacing aspects of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) or of the "wisdom that is from above" (James 3:17). Wycliffe

Light 35:  1 Peter 4:7 says, “But the end of all things is at hand: be ye there __________and _____________.  Fill in the blanks with words and phrases.

1 Peter 4:7
But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.

Light 36:  According to 2 Peter 1, what are eight things are we supposed to have?  In having these things what do we learn about Process?

2 Peter 1:1-8
Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ: Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Light 37:  According to 2 Peter 1:10 we are to make two things “sure.”  What two things?

2 Peter 1:10
Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:

For the word “Sure” notice:

Your calling and election sure-by 'ministering additionally in your faith virtue, and in your virtue knowledge,' etc. God must work all these graces in us, yet not so that we should be machines, but willing instruments in His hands, in making His election of us 'secure.' –JFB

Light 38: According to Revelation 2:10 we are to be faithful unto ______ what?  Then is says that we are not to fear something.  What?  If we do these things, what do we receive from God?

Revelation 2:10
Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

At the beginning of this sermon I gave you Psalm 119:105
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

I have given you 38 lights this day.  What is going to happen to you if you keeping adding this lights to your path?

Proverbs 4:18
But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.

So continue on and…

Light your path!!

 [see Part 1]    

Note:  All the lights mentioned in this sermon are taken from our Bible study,
'How To' Instructions in Righteousness.

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