May I please God to bless us
together this evening as we meditate in his word. Let us turn to the
book of Psalms, Psalm 119, and we'll read verse 165. Psalm 119
and reading verse 165. Great peace have they which love
thy law, and nothing shall offend them." It is clear from these words
that the psalmist understood what he was saying, what he was
writing, something which he was aware of and something which
he had personally experienced. And it's good if you and I, as
we read such words as this in the Word of God, realize that
they are true, they are real, and they are not just theory,
they are those things which are to be experienced, those things
which are to be taken hold of, those things which are to be
walked out. And so here is this statement,
great peace, have they which love thy law. And we should note that it says,
great peace have they which love thy law. It doesn't say great
peace are they which keep thy law. Because we as fallen sinners,
as much as we would desire, and we should desire, to keep the
law of God 100%, we shall fail. because we have a sinful heart,
but to realize the truth of this, which love thy law. And remember
that the psalmist here was of course referring to really the
first five books in the Word of God written by Moses, which
of course contained the Ten Commandments, but wasn't exclusively the Ten
Commandments, it also included all those righteous commands
which were set before Israel to keep week by week and year
by year and of course in all those things which they were
commanded to keep, what did they do? They directed the sinner
to the Messiah, the Savior. Well now perhaps we can recognize
now why the psalmist says great peace of they which love thy
law." David loved the law of his God. He tells us, how love
I thy law, it is my meditation all the day. He loved to think
upon those great and glorious things which drew him towards
God, those things which centred his attention upon the things
of the Saviour. that great Messiah, the Lord
Jesus Christ. Now, he knew what it was, therefore,
to view these things and to realise that in those examples, those
illustrations, those pictures, which were portrayed in the Old
Testament dispensation, there was that hope of mercy. There
was indeed that hope of forgiveness. There was that hope of cleansing. There was a hope of purification. There was a hope of being eternally
saved. And so as David, as we believe
it was David that wrote this 119th Psalm, looked to the law
of God, he saw how wonderful and how glorious it was. Well,
today, of course, we are blessed with the revelation of that law. and what it really meant. And
all those types and all those ceremonies are now set forth
in that great and glorious sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ. In all that he accomplished,
in fulfilling all the demands of that holy law. So tonight,
can we come and say, great peace of they which love thy law, love
the truth of God, not the things concerning the Saviour, the Lord
Jesus Christ. Indeed, as we mentioned this
morning on those three questions that the Lord put to Peter, lovest
thou me more than these? It's really taken up in a statement
like this, where we read and they which love thy law. And so tonight, perhaps we might
ask ourselves the question, do we really love the things of
God? Do we really love the truth of
God? Do we really love the person
of the Lord Jesus Christ? Do we thank him for his great
and glorious sacrifice that he made to atone for our sins? Are
there things which stir our heart Lift us up from the things of
this poor, dying world, because these are things which are eternal
realities. These things will not fade away. These things will not perish,
will not be burnt up, when all things on this earth are burnt
up at the end of time. These blessings, the blessings
in Christ are eternal. Well, what a favourite it is
then. Now, you might say, well, how do I know that? How do I
understand that? Well, we are so grateful to the
Spirit of God, which directed those years ago to write many
truths in the New Testament, which are encouraging to us to
think that what the Lord has Recorded therefore should be
for our encouragement and in the Romans It's a wonderful book
the Romans tremendous instruction in it in the 15th chapter in
the 13th verse we read this Now the God of hope Well, are we
hoping tonight the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace
in believing That surely means, as the Lord gives us, that faith
to believe these great truths, to believe, as the psalmist did,
in these words, have they which love thy law. If we love the
truth of God and love the revelation of God and have the evidence
that we do, then surely we have the evidence that we are amongst
those who do believe. Believe the truth of God. And
so we have this statement here. Now the God of hope fill you
with all joy and peace in believing. And there is joy. And there is
peace in believing. It's a great blessing if God
gives you and me that grace to believe the great truths of the
gospel. And as the word of God comes
and is applied to our hearts, put into our hearts. It brings
that innermost joy between our souls and our God, thankful to
know that the great God has bowed down, heard our prayers, heard
our cry, as we would have come, like these words, I cried with
my whole heart, hear me, O Lord, that would have been, I'm sure,
that we might say desperate cry from our heart, not just some
form of words, because we would have been in need. Our souls
are in danger of eternal destruction, eternal hell. And therefore we're
on the stretch after God. And we cry for his mercy. We cry for his favor and then
to know the Lord comes and gives us that true heart to be able
to believe the truth of the gospel. And I'm sure this is the effect,
that we are then filled with all joy and peace in believing. And he goes on to say, that you
may abound in hope And note this, it's through the power of the
Holy Ghost. Perhaps we may not have realised
that before. Perhaps we may not have realised
the wonderful blessing the third person in the Trinity is, the
Holy Ghost. And how he takes the things of
Jesus and reveals them unto us. And as those things are revealed
to our heart, We then are thankful to God for that revelation which
God has granted to us. And because of that revelation
that God has granted to us, it brings joy and it brings peace. It brings peace. Because it's
peace with God. Our hope then is not in ourselves. It's out of ourselves. And we're
able to believe in that great plan of salvation. To believe
the Lord Jesus Christ did come into this sinful world to save
sinners. As the Apostle said, of whom
I am chief. And we'll thank God for that
great truth. Then we'll realize then that
however bad we may have been, however bad we are, I thank God
that there is salvation for such sinners. And the Lord has showed
it to us. The Lord's given us a hope in
his mercy. And I believe then there is that
peace and we'll understand then what the psalmist says, it's
great peace. It's not a peace in the things
of time. People look for peace, don't
they? A peaceful life. But you know, there's no real
comparison with the peace in the things of this world and
the things which are concerned with our eternal state. Because
when the Spirit of God comes, the Holy Ghost comes and applies
his word to our hearts. Then there is that peace and
joy in believing. Well, my friends, may you and
I be blessed with it. And we don't want to be amongst
those who do not know this. You see, the Word of God is very
balanced and the Word of God tells us both sides of the story,
not just one side. And he speaks in the third chapter
of the Romans about those who are not righteous. There is none
righteous, no, not one. There is none that understandeth.
There is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of
the way. They are altogether become unprofitable. There is none that doeth good.
No, not one. Their throat is an open sepulcher. With their tongues they have
used deceit. The poison of asps is under their
lips, whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness. Their
feet are swift to shed blood. Destruction and misery are in
their ways, and the way of peace. Have they not known there is
no fear of God before their eyes? And is it true? And such, and
such for some of us. Such for some of you. We walk
that way, we've been that way, and what a wonderful blessing
then, if the spirit of God has opened our eyes. and given us
to see the great truth that the psalmist directs us to hear when
he says, great peace have they which love thy law. Now there will not be any great
peace unless the spirit of God reveals to us the truth as it
is in Jesus. That's the place of peace. There's
not peace outside of that. Whatever you and I may try and
do for ourselves, however we may try and work and justify
ourselves, we'll have to come as helpless sinners, we'll have
to come casting all our care upon Him, all our care upon Him,
not some of it, all our care upon Him, believing that He cares
for us. Well, that's a very wonderful
and a very humbling and a very blessed experience to realize
that the Almighty God has come and has looked upon us wherever
it may have been. The Lord meets his people in
various places, sometimes in places where they're very embarrassed
to be found. The Lord finds us. He knows where
we are. He found Jacob, didn't he? We're
told he found him in a waste town in wilderness. Well, bless
God tonight, if the Lord has found you. He's watched over you, perhaps,
and he's found you. And you know he's found you. And you know that he's come to
you in this way. that he's revealed something
of what you really are before a holy God, perhaps it made you
tremble, tremble. And it would have made you pray,
it would have made you cry out, it would have made you seek for
that mercy, and realizing that you are not deserving of it,
and I believe you'll come into that place The hymn writer says,
if my soul were sent to hell, thy righteous law approves it
well. You won't be able to say, well,
I don't deserve to be sent to hell. You'll agree that you do
deserve to be sent to hell. And therefore, your prayer will
be the far more urgent that you may be delivered from that fearful
situation, which it is. Never underestimate the terrible
state of those in eternal hell. Never underestimate it. But oh,
thank God for his mercy. Thank God for his love. And thank
God if the Lord has directed us to this position where we're
able to say, thy law do I love. And so this evening how we need
to be able to answer the question in the affirmative, be able to
agree with it and not say well it doesn't really matter, it
does matter, it does matter and if you can't say that well And
do be honest, don't pretend you can when you can't. But if you
can't say that, do pray that the Lord will enable you to say
it. And you see, if the Lord gives
you that real desire to pray like that, it's because the Lord
is beginning that good work in your heart, causing you to seek
after Those things which are real and true and precious and
eternal. Great peace have they which love
thy law. Great peace, those that love
thy law. Well, Paul the Apostle knew that
in his heart, didn't he? He had much cause, didn't he,
to bless God. He was left to himself. in all his young days, when he
was a boy and when he was a youth. And he's brought to manhood,
and there he was, going about condemning the Christians to
prison. And the Lord had mercy upon him. And he acknowledges it, the great
blessing and the great favour of that mercy. And he knows where
it came from. It didn't come from his own ability,
did it? Because he was struck down that
Damascus road, going in the direction towards hell. And God turned
him round to go in the direction to heaven. And that direction
was through the Lord Jesus Christ. And that direction was to bring
him to that blessed place of peace. And so he comes and In
the second of Ephesians, he says, but now, but now. Well, bless God, if in your life
and my life, there has been a but now, a but now. But now in Christ Jesus, you
sometimes were far off. And we all were at one time.
Far off. Far off from God. In the world. Taking up the things of the world.
All the things of this vain world. Occupying our minds and attention. No time for God. But now, in
Christ Jesus, you sometimes were far off. Are made nigh. That means brought near. How
are you and I brought near to Christ? Do you know the answer? Well, Paul tells us, by the blood
of Christ. The blood of Christ, the shed
blood of Christ, the precious blood of Christ, the invaluable
blood of Christ. And so he comes and says, for
he is our peace. Paul knew that, didn't he? That's
why he was able to write such a truth. For he is our peace,
who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of
partition between us, having abolished in his flesh the enmity,
even the law of commandments contained in ordinances, for
to making himself a twain one new man, so making peace. Well, have we been made a new
man, a new woman, a new person? You might say, well, I think
I'm the same. Well, when the Spirit of God comes and touches
our heart, and changes our heart, and He gives us a new heart,
we're a new man, we're a new woman. We have new desires. We have new concerns. one new
man so making peace and that he might reconcile both unto
God in one body by the cross having slain the enmity thereby
and came and preached peace to you which were far off and to
them which were nigh. You see three times in these
few verses we read of this great and glorious peace which only
comes through that knowledge and that union to the Lord Jesus
Christ. There is no true peace outside
of Christ. No true peace outside of Christ,
but inside there is a glorious peace because we can rest in
what Christ has done, in his finished work. We're not relying
upon our works. Indeed, in this same chapter,
we read in the earlier verses where the apostle tells us, and
he says, not of works, lest any man should boast, for we are
his workmanship. It's his work in our heart, in
our souls, that has produced that change, his workmanship.
And because it's his workmanship, the result is he gets the honour
and the glory. And he gives, because it's his
workmanship, peace. Peace in our hearts. Peace in
our soul. And so we read these important
words and came and preached peace to you, which were afar off,
and to them that were nigh. Well, can we tonight look into
our hearts And find there the new heart. Find there a desire
after Christ. Find the desire which wasn't
there at one time in our life. And it's because of God's workmanship
within us that has produced that change. And we are directed to
the reason for it. It's through his shed blood,
nigh by the blood of Christ. That's how we are brought near
to Christ. Well, the Gospel. Isn't it a glorious theme? Isn't
it wonderful to be able to consider? Great peace have they which love
thy law. Well, it's a wonderful blessing. You know, the Apostle was never
tired of this theme, was he? And I don't believe The true
church of God are ever tired of this theme either. No, we
desire to hear the same truths week by week because it's food
to our souls. Don't forget Israel, they had
manna every day. Didn't have any change of food
today, but it sustained them. And these great truths of the
gospel sustain us day by day, week by week as we're able to
come and present ourselves to our God. Again, when he wrote
to the Colossian church, he tells us, for it pleased the Father
that in him should all fullness dwell. There's everything that
you and I need in Christ, don't forget that. There's absolutely
nothing lacking. Everything that we need in Christ,
the fullness there is. And so he comes and he says,
and having made peace, through the blood of his cross, by him
to reconcile all things unto himself. By him I say, whether
they be things in earth or things in heaven. And you that were
sometimes alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works,
but now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through
death resent you holy and unblameable and unreprovable in his sight."
They're very similar statements, different words, same statement
as he wrote to the Ephesians. Well it's important isn't it,
that these great truths are conveyed to the churches that he wrote
to. It's not something that needs to miss out and say, well, I
wrote to the other church. These things are vital. These
things are important for our salvation. And what a blessing
they are and how we should rejoice in them and thank God for them. And tonight as we come here,
can we indeed bless God as we read such words? Is there an
echo in our heart that these words are true? And they do have
a gracious, precious, and real application to our souls. They're not just mere words,
but they are the Word of God. That's the difference, isn't
it? The Word of God. And let's just read it again,
because it's so beautiful. And having made peace through
the blood of his cross. Now, just ponder that. That wasn't
something which was lightly done, was it? A great cost, wasn't
it? To shed His blood upon that cross,
to die that horrendous death in order that you and I might
be saved eternally, delivered from the wrath to come, free,
made free, having made peace through the blood of His cross
by Him. to reconcile all things unto
himself, to reconcile us to himself. You think of that. We who were
deep-died sinners, fulfilling the lust of the flesh, going
after the devil's things, pleasing the devil, not pleasing God. Well, we've all been pleasing
the devil. Are we still pleasing the devil? Here we have this
great truth then, by him to reconcile, bring us to God, reconcile us.
There we are, a black sinner. No reconciliation. The Lord dies. The Lord reconciles us by his
shed blood. Oh, that's a great blessing,
isn't it? You think of that. Isn't that wonderful to ponder
that? And so we have this, by him to
reconcile all things unto himself. By him I say, whether they be
things in earth or things in heaven, and you that were sometimes
alienated, and enemies in your mind by wicked works, that's
by sin, isn't it? Alienated, we were all there,
weren't we? no reconciliation, no union with Christ, no desire
after Christ. We were desiring the things of
the world. We wanted to progress in the
world. We wanted to enjoy the world. No doubt we've heard the
expression, it may be your expression, that you wanted to live life
to the full. Well, my friends, the only living
life to the full is in Christ. Outside of that is disaster,
eternal disaster. So here we are told, then in
the body of his flesh, through death, to present you holy and
unblameable and unreprovable in his sight. Just think of that. Unblameable and unreprovable. Naturally that couldn't be so,
could it? Because we are blameable. But Christ has died to atone
for our sins. Christ has died. He rather is
risen again. Oh, what great truths they are,
aren't they? May our souls rejoice then. And
as we consider it, Does it not bring peace? Indeed, as the psalmist
says here, great peace, great peace, have they which love thy
law, love the things of God, love the great truth regarding
the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. So beautifully pictured, of course,
in the Old Testament, in all those in the ceremonial law,
which was enacted first really in the wilderness, in the tabernacle,
and we know how there was that picture of the lamb slain, the
shedding of blood, the sacrifice given, the picture of the precious
Redeemer, the Lord Jesus Christ, but now revealed to us today
in the New Testament. Well, can we rejoice today? Can
we thank God for it? do the great truths as a spirit
of God may apply them to our souls bring peace and The word
here, of course is qualified great peace great peace And it's
a peace which the devil cannot take away It may sometimes Fade
it may sometimes become dim and may sometimes need to be revived,
but that peace which God gives cannot be removed, because it
is there because of what Christ has done. Great peace are they. Well, can we not thank God for
that? And of course the Lord himself
in the gospel really refers to this this piece and how wonderful
it is. You know that well-known chapter,
the 14th chapter of John, which the Lord spoke to his disciples
in that upper room on that Passover night, just very shortly before
he was to suffer on that cross and be spit upon and beaten in
the judgment hall. Well, the great truths of the
Gospel were set forth by the Saviour in the upper room to
his disciples. And he comes and tells us, These
things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. But
the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send
in my name, he shall teach you all things. and bring all things
to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you. Sometimes
we may forget things and sometimes, bless God, the Holy Spirit brings
things back to our remembrance. And it's wonderful when that
occurs and it's a very clear evidence of God's work when those
things which he's done for us brings back to our remembrance. The devil wouldn't do it, but
it's the Holy Spirit that does it. And so here we have this
great truth which the Lord spoke to his disciples, whom the Father
will send in my name. He shall teach you all things
and bring all things to your remembrance. Whatsoever I have
said unto you, peace I leave with you. Remember, he was leaving
his disciples shortly. I've been blessed with his presence
for those three years. And now he was to be taken from
them. And he tells them these encouraging words. Peace, I leave
with you. My peace, I give unto you. It's God's gift, his peace. And as we receive it, How wonderful
it is to be blessed with such a gift, the peace of God, which
indeed does pass all understanding. I give unto you, not as the world
giveth, give I unto you. You see, when the world gives,
they kind of expect, well, to recognition of what they've done.
Well, we should also recognise the great gift which God gives
to us and freely we have received and we should freely give. And
then he comes and says, therefore, let not your heart be troubled,
neither let it be afraid. These words are written for our
encouragement, that we might remember the great and blessed
truths of God and be encouraged by them so that we may know this
great peace which God brings into the hearts of his people,
into the hearts of his children. As he concluded that sermon that
addressed his disciples in the upper room, he tells us, these
things have I spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace,
in me in Christ ye might have peace. In the world ye shall
have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."
So we see here, don't we, the division. Those who are in Christ,
those who are reconciled to Christ, those who rejoice in Christ,
by the blessing work of the Holy Spirit will be favoured with
peace. Again, it's not always particularly
evident, but as you and I may be able, by God's grace to examine
his work in our hearts and to find that it is there, and it's
his work and not our work, It must result really in his name
being lifted up, honored and glorified, and what does that
bring? Peace into our soul. Yes, these things have I spoken
unto you that in me you might have peace, in the world you
shall have tribulation. But, be of good cheer. Be of good cheer because we're
on a journey. We're on a journey home to God. The Lord's gone before us. He's
traced out the way, the path. We're following his footsteps. My friends, he gained the prize.
He's now seated in glory. No wonder, is it, when the apostle
wrote to the Hebrews, and in the beginning of that 12th chapter,
having given that wonderful account of all those worthies with a
given faith that God had granted to them, he comes and he says,
wherefore, seeing ye also are compassed about with so great
a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the
sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience
the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author
and the finisher of our faith, who, for the joy that was set
before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set
down at the right hand of the throne of God. For, consider
him." How important that is in our little life. As we may think,
well, the past rough, and the past difficult, and I've got
so many problems. Consider him. That'll put things
in a right perspective. Consider him that endured such
contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be worried and
faint in your minds. See, there's the remedy. Consider
him. And as we may consider him, we
may perhaps be in a turmoil. It may be as though we're in
a storm, the rough sea then. What does the word say? Great
peace have they which love thy law. Great peace, well may we
know something of that great peace and you know the Psalmist
had a wonderful word in the 25th Psalm and he speaks this in the
25th Psalm in the 14th verse he says this the secret, and
these things that we've spoken of tonight are really a secret
confined to the Church of God. The secret of the Lord is with
them that fear him and he will show them his covenant. He will show them the great and
sure promises that he has spoken those which will bring peace
to our hearts. The secret of the Lord is with
them. We're not outside of the secret. We're inside. The Lord has shown us his great
work. Oh, that great work which is
only known by the people of God, the Church of God. May we indeed
truly, therefore, rejoice in his great salvation and be blessed
with his Great peace! What a peace it is, isn't it?
And just finally, there are two more references in the 48th chapter
of Isaiah, where Isaiah says these words which are encouraging,
O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments, then had thy
peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of
the sea." Well, the Lord gives us his word. May we receive that
great gift of the Holy Spirit, to receive his word into our
hearts, and to then know what it is, in measure to enjoy that
peace. Then had they peace been as a
river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea. On the other hand, the last verse
in this same chapter speaks like this. There is no peace, saith
the Lord. Who's that? Who's that speaking
to? Unto the wicked. No peace. So we have the very
clear division, don't we? Of those who know something of
the peace of God, they are those who know the secret of the Lord,
They are those who are blessed with spiritual life. They are
those who are favoured with this peace in their hearts. Great
peace. They which love thy law because
by the Spirit work within. They love the great truth of
the Gospel. They love to hear of the Saviour. Those words are true. How sweet
the name of Jesus sounds in a believer's ear. brings peace. On the other hand, if there's
not that knowledge, if there's not the believing, then we've
fallen in that solemn category of the wicked, where there is
no peace. Well, may God indeed come and
give us the personal evidence of his work in our hearts, that
we know we've passed from death to life, and that through that
work, We understand something of this great blessing of peace.
And may we truly understand what the psalmist says. Great peace
of they which love thy law. Amen.