BIG IDEA:

Through the cross, we who’ve traveled on the way of wickedness can finally cross over by grace onto the path of righteousness.

1st  Application: By grace, Jesus extends forgiveness so we can keep walking on his path of righteousness.

2^nd Application: By grace, Jesus invites us to tap into his nourishing root system to stay on his path of righteousness.

3^rd Application: By grace, Jesus promises eternal securities to those found on his path of righteousness.

SERMON OVERVIEW:

Our gathering in Poway, California centers on the deep relevance and necessity of the Psalms for our spiritual lives. The Psalms are not just ancient poetry, but a mirror reflecting the full spectrum of human emotion—joy, sorrow, anger, hope, and everything in between, as the great Reformer John Calvin famously said. They give voice to our experiences, offering language for both our praise and our pain. In a world that often feels confusing and hopeless, the Psalms ground us in God’s truth, inviting us to process our emotions honestly before Him.

The Two Paths
Psalm 1, the gateway to the entire Psalter, presents us with a vivid image of two paths: the way of the righteous and the way of the wicked. The blessed life, according to this psalm, is not found in following the advice or patterns of the world, but in delighting in and meditating on God’s Word. This meditation is not a passive, emptying of the mind, but an active, communal, and sensory engagement with Scripture—reading, speaking, and listening to God’s instruction. The result is a life rooted and nourished like a tree planted by streams of water, bearing fruit in season and remaining resilient through drought.

The Dilemma of the Two Paths
Yet, the psalm also confronts us with the sobering reality that, left to ourselves, we inevitably drift toward the path of wickedness. The history of God’s people, from Adam and Eve to Israel’s kings, is a story of failing to remain on the path of righteousness. The question for us, “What hope is there to stay on the path of righteousness?”

The Solution for  the Two Paths

The solution is not found in moral effort or religious performance, but looking to the only person who has faithfully and perfectly walked the path of righteousness: The blessed One of Psalm 1, Jesus Christ. He alone perfectly walked the path of righteousness, and at the cross, He bore our judgment so that we might be counted righteous in HimThrough Christ, we are invited to tap into His nourishing root system, to abide in Him, and to receive His forgiveness when we stumble. The assurance of our security is not in our performance, but in His finished work. As we journey through the Psalms, we are called to rediscover the flourishing life that comes from being rooted in Christ, nourished by His Word, and confident in the hope of eternal life.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

- The Psalms are essential because they give voice to the full range of human emotions and experiences, allowing us to bring our authentic selves before God. They serve as a spiritual mirror, reflecting our joys, sorrows, doubts, and hopes, and teaching us how to process these in God’s presence rather than suppress or ignore them. This honest engagement with God is foundational for spiritual health and growth. [32:19]

- Psalm 1’s image of two paths is not just a moral lesson but a profound spiritual reality: every day, we are shaped by the influences we allow into our lives. The blessed life is marked by self-control and discernment, resisting the subtle progression from walking to standing to sitting with those who oppose God. True flourishing comes from delighting in and meditating on God’s Word, which forms our character and anchors us in truth. [42:43]

- The call to meditate on God’s Word is an invitation to a holistic, embodied practice—engaging our minds, mouths, and ears in community. Unlike the emptying of the mind in some forms of meditation, biblical meditation is about filling our hearts and thoughts with God’s instruction, allowing it to shape our desires and actions. This is how we become like the tree in Psalm 1, deeply rooted and fruitful even in adversity. [45:54]

- The history of God’s people reveals our inability to remain on the path of righteousness by our own strength. From Adam and Eve to Israel’s kings, the pattern is one of failure and exile. The good news is that Jesus Christ is the true blessed man of Psalm 1, who perfectly walked the path of righteousness and, through His cross, enables us to cross over from the way of wickedness to the way of life by grace. [01:00:50]

- Our ongoing security and fruitfulness are found not in our own efforts, but in abiding in Christ and receiving His forgiveness. Even when we stumble, His grace compels us to keep walking, and His Spirit nourishes us to grow in resilience and fruitfulness. The assurance of eternal life and the promise of flourishing are gifts received by faith, not earned by performance, and they empower us to live with hope and purpose. [01:06:13]