Your Word In My Heart

When we were in Gore we used to run an 18-week course that we ran many times and many people did it. It was God’s timing, I believe, and it changed the church. One aspect of it was that each week there was a new memory verse. Because the course started with understanding salvation, then growing in our relationship with God through the Bible and prayer, to the purpose of the church and that each one of us is gifted to play some part in the life and mission of the church – because it covered a range of important topics, people ended up with a collection of memorised passages that applied in many areas of their discipleship.

Obviously, a lot of people started thinking they would never be able to memorise scripture but each week we tested each other on our verses and through the accountability and the constant repetition, we learnt those passages. Years later, many people remembered those passages and they could bring to mind a key aspect of what the Bible taught. Years later, people would comment on how grateful they were to have those verses stored in their hearts.

Jesus clearly had a lot of scripture memorised. We have mentioned that 10% of the words of Jesus recorded in the New Testament are direct quotes from the Old Testament. He quoted from across the books of the Old Testament. Some of the books He quoted most frequently were Deuteronomy (that is, the law, one of the first five books of the Old Testament), Isaiah (plus various other prophets) and Psalms (the wisdom literature). So, across the range, the Law, the Prophets and the Writings. He quoted a lot of different passages. He had read, and meditated on, and remembered a lot of scripture.

From what I understand – I hope this is accurate – Jewish boys and girls would go to school at the synagogue, up to the age of 12. The boys were required to memorise the first five books of the Bible – the Pentateuch, the books of Moses, Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy. They did not have the chapter divisions in those days but, from our point of view, that is 187 chapters. Girls would memorise Deuteronomy, Psalms and Proverbs – 215 chapters. Girls must have been smarter in those days too!

For most people that would be the end of their education, but the more able boys would continue, under the tutelage of a rabbi, and, over the next few years would memorise the remainder of the Old Testament. We are not told that Jesus went to the synagogue school but presumably He did; most children did.

But do you remember that last week we looked at an occasion when the Sadducees challenged Jesus with a question about marriage and life after death? Jesus pushed back saying they were wrong because they did not know the scriptures. They were Sadducees; they were leaders. My guess is that they had also been to Synagogue school and possibly had been among those more able boys who had had more education and learnt more of the Bible. But it was obvious that Jesus had a far superior knowledge and understanding, which suggests Jesus had spent a lot more time than they had studying, memorising and prayerfully seeking God’s wisdom from the scriptures.

I suspect memorising scripture is a spiritual discipline that we are losing. We might teach memory verses to our children, but it has gone out of fashion for adults. And we are the poorer for it. There is huge value in having God’s word memorised. I know we can pull it up on our phones; we can have it with us, but that is not the same as knowing it and being able to meditate on it or bring it to mind when we need to remind ourselves of God’s truths.

When Warren led us in doing sword drill last week, I was using my phone and, because it was kind-of a race and there was an element of competition, I realised how slow using my phone was. I think I could have flicked through a printed Bible much more quickly. Better still to have it stored in my memory.

Psalm 119:11

I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.

That shows us one advantage of having hidden God’s word in our hearts. How does God’s word keep us from sinning? It is one safeguard against sinning. What did God say?

Matthew 6:24

No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

Matthew 5:28

But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Or maybe a key scripture can give us strength in a time of temptation.

Galatians 5:16

So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.

Romans 6:11

…count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Or maybe we need to be reminded, when we have failed, that God will forgive us, if we confess that sin. We are not condemned. We can start again,

1 John 1:9

If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Psalm 119:11

I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.

That is one benefits of having God’s word in our hearts but there are many others.

READ Proverbs 2:1-3:2

“Store up my commands within you”. ‘Keep my commands in your heart”. The result will be wisdom. “Then you will walk in the ways of the just and keep to the paths of the righteous.”

Another example, of course, is being able to minister to others, both inside and outside the church.

Colossians 3:16

Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.

In that verse the ministry is through song – singing to one another – but it is about teaching and admonishing one another, within the body of Christ, with the message of Christ that dwells within us.

Ephesians 6:17, in the context of the spiritual armour (spiritual warfare) described the word of God as the sword of the Spirit. We need to have that sword at hand, ready to use, at all times.

Some of us are thinking, “Yes, I agree. It would be hugely beneficial, but I cannot remember scripture. I’ve tried in the past. It’s hopeless.”

My guess is that not everybody who aspires to be an actor or actress has an exceptional memory. The primary things for actors is the ability to act. The memory thing is necessary but secondary and it can be learned. There are techniques for remembering things. Like most worthwhile things, it takes work but there are aways that make it easier.

Who can tell me what the number was that I gave you at the beginning of the service? How did you remember that?

Here are some possibilities:

• Repetition – you just said it over and over to yourself until it stuck.

• Rhythm – you might have divided it into 3 groups of 3 digits. The repetition of the 1 and the zero might have helped.

  • • Talking of rhythm, setting words to music is a great memory aid. I am sure many of us learned a lot of Bible passages through Scripture In Song. Note that: scripture… in song.

      • • • The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, though he fall, he shall not be cast down for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand.

• Pattern – the first digit in each group of three goes 6, 5 4. And the two digits after each one is that number doubled.

  • • Obviously, I chose that number with that pattern. The pattern might not always be that simple but the skill is in identifying a pattern.

• How many were motivated by the fact that you were going to be asked (there would be accountability) or you like the challenge (I can do this)?

Who can remember our mission statement?

For me there is:

• The rhyme of know, grow, go

• The Trinitarian structure: Father, Son and Holy Spirit

•  Two words, three words, four words.

• The natural progression of coming to Know God, then growing to maturity in Christ, then going in the power of the Holy Spirit to serve in mission.

Often, a key to remembering a scripture is to not just remember the words but recognise what it is saying.

2 Timothy 3:16-17

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

What are those verses saying? Can I remember it better if I understand it? It is about the inspiration of the Bible. Because the Bible is inspired by God, it has power; it is useful. What is it useful for? Is there a logical progression in the words teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness? Maybe. Fundamentally, God speaks to us through His word in order to teach us. But some of that will inevitably be pointing out things that he is not happy with (rebuking). But God doesn’t just leave us feeling bad. He can, through His word, also make things right (correcting). He can guide us into new health. Ultimately, this is all about helping us live as we ought (training in righteousness). But why? What is this all for? So that we might live lives that produce fruit for the Kingdom of God (thoroughly equipped for every good work). The Bible is very good at this. The Bible can make a huge difference. When we are in the habit of listening to God speak through His word, we will be thoroughly equipped.

I probably know those verses mainly just through repetition, but it is helped by recognising the structure and the message.

Some of us probably have dismissed the idea of memorising bits of scripture. I suggest the rewards make the effort worthwhile. This is just one other aspect of following Jesus. It was important for Him and we take our lead from Jesus.

There is lots of help available. There are apps and websites and packs of cards. I have a whole website on memorising scripture… which is not working right now, so don’t go there.

But the greatest resources we have are the Holy Spirit who is fully capable of helping us do what we think we cannot do, and each other. We can encourage each other and hold each other accountable, letting the word of Christ dwell within us richly as we teach and admonish one another in all wisdom. We can do this.

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