Resources: Lesson Manuscript, Video, PowerPoint, and Devotional
Franklin Heights Church Connect Groups: https://franklinheights.org/connect/groups/
Review: Last week we looked at how the Bible impacts our thinking, our hearts affections and loves, and how this transforms our behavior if we will let it.
Title: “God’s Glory”
Text: Psalm 19:1-11
Key Verse: Psalm 19:14, “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable in your sight,
O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.”
Theme: God teaches us about Himself through His creation and His Word.
Introduction: There are many ways one person can get to know another. Shared hobbies is one. We have one church member who is a jeep enthusiast, and he uses his enjoyment of jeeps and outings to build redemptive relationships. He even pulled me aside to share that recently he was able to have a gospel conversation with several of his jeep enthusiast friends on one of their outings. God’s communicated Himself to us through creation, but even more through the Bible, if we’ll take the time to let Him speak to us.
- Creation (vv. 1-6)
Psalm 19:1-6, “The heavens [meaning the heavenly, planetary elements of God’s beautiful creation] declare the glory [glory, “kabod” means the weight and immensity of God’s splendor and honor] of God,
and the sky above[a] proclaims his handiwork.
2 Day to day pours out [gushes] speech,
and night to night reveals knowledge. [While it’s not verbal, it’s unmistakable.]
3 There is no speech, nor are there words,
whose voice is not heard.
4 Their voice[b] goes out through all the earth,
and their words to the end of the world.
In them he has set a tent for the sun, [People can try to ignore, but can’t escape the deeper realities that creation is declaring to us about God. Romans 10:17-18, “17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. 18 But I ask, have they not heard? Indeed they have, for ‘Their voice has gone out to all the earth,
and their words to the ends of the world.’”
5 which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber,
and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy. [The writer has two illustrations to describe the manner in which the sun rises and reveals God, like a bridegroom taking his bride and an athlete running a race.]
6 Its rising is from the end of the heavens,
and its circuit to the end of them,
and there is nothing hidden from its heat.”
No one can hide away from the reality of God’s general revelation of Himself in creation.
Application: A student cannot understand science without a teacher. God is the great Author, Teacher, revealer and source of science in this world, and it glorifies Him and draws creatures to Himself.
Gospel: Can you imagine Adam and Eve’s relationship with God in the original creation, unmarred by sin, how majestic that must have been? Sin entered and severed that relationship, so it took the perfect Savior to die, be buried, and rise for us to be reconciled by God through repentance and belief so that we can pursue His design for our lives and worship our glorious Creator as we should.
2 Corinthians 5:18-20, “18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling[a] the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.”
2. God’s Word (vv. 7-11)
Psalm 19:7-11, “7 The law [CSB, “the instruction”] of the Lord is perfect, [Hebrew, “tamim” meaning complete, whole, without lack, sufficient to meet al of our needs. When we’re weary and weak God’s Word renews us and strengthens our beings.]
reviving the soul;
the testimony of the Lord is sure,
making wise the simple;
8 the precepts of the Lord are right,
rejoicing the heart; [CSB, “making the heart glad,” rejoices us, gives us joy]
the commandment of the Lord is pure,
enlightening the eyes;
9 the fear [Lifeway defines this particular fear as, “Obedience to God with an attitude of humility and reverence.” The believer takes God seriously and has a healthy fear of God; this is good.] of the Lord is clean,
enduring forever;
the rules of the Lord are true,
and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than gold, [It is such a valuable gem, yet God’s Word is infinitely more valuable.]
even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey
and drippings of the honeycomb.
11 Moreover, by them is your servant warned; [This servant’s desire is to fulfill the master’s will completely and to be committed here to God’s covenant.]
in keeping them there is great reward.”
Discussion Question:
- Was there ever a time when you were enjoying God’s creation and it caused you to appreciate and worship God more in your heart?
- How have you experienced God’s Word transforming and changing your life recently?
- How are Psalm 19 and Romans 1:18-32 similar to each other?
Big Takeaway(s):
- Let your enjoyment of God’s creation not just end there; but rather let it increase your worshipful affections for God.
- Don’t just read your Bible; think and meditate on the truth so that it can sink in and truly have the time it needs to change your life.
Resources:
- www.drcalebwalker.com
- Lesson Teaching Manuscript
- Free Download of this PowerPoint
- Devotional
- Discipleship and church revitalization consulting: cwalker@franklinheights.org
Devotional:
Title: “Psalm 19:1-11 & General and Special Revelation”
This Psalm first points to God’s general revelation in creation and then it points the reader to God’s special revelation in God’s Word. Creation reveals God’s glory and attributes. The Word of God is infallible and sufficient, inerrant and inspired.
Take time to pause and observe a beautiful sunrise with your morning coffee. The next time there is a rainfall, take time to enjoy it. Look up into the night sky on a clear night in a rural setting unhindered by city lights, and let God give you an awesome glimpse into Himself: How glorious he is, how good he is, how beautiful He is, how generous and benevolent he is, how present and providing he is, and so on. These will be mere glimpses, because His creation is a merely reveals the infinitude of His majestic glory.
I am so glad my office has a window. I try not to be distracted during the work day and show diligence in my labors. God was so good to give me a window, though. I love the way the sunshine radiates through the window or to enjoy a rainfall out of the corner of my eye and to be bale tp pause form time-to-time to take it in and to be reminded that as I labor in the work of preaching the Word I am ministered to by the way creation proclaims God’s glory, too. My co-connect group-leader drives around and gets to observe the beauty of God’s creation through His wind shield. Coming home, my front yard is surrounded by woods and nestled in a tree grove, and we call it our “Garden haven” and we like to think that as we cultivate our home, it’s our little slice of heavenly shalom, a Hebrew word for “peace, well-being, wholeness, completeness.” These are little things throughout my day to day that reveal God to me in His general revelation, and I am so thankful.
God’s Word is His special revelation that reveals more directly and definitively God’s nature, the redemptive plan of the gospel, guides us into salvation, teaches us to worship, helps usm make wise decisions, draws us into the infinitude of his love, reveals to us His Son and how to be a disciple of His and follow in His way, the church and our part in it with an eye for our eternal home in Heaven someday with Him.
How to pray:
- Thank Him for general revelation in creation.
- Thank Him for special revelation in Scripture.
- Commit to knowing Him and glorifying Him through both of these means.
- Tell Him the specific next step you will take to know Him better.
Caleb Walker 
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