23-0806a - Detailed Summary

The speaker expresses the honor of presenting God’s Word and mentions that he has two versions of the Bible: the New King James Version and the New American Standard Version. He intends to use Psalm 141 for the lesson.

The speaker discusses Johnny Robertson, a preacher from Martinsville, Virginia, known for his YouTube show "What Does the Bible Say?" where he answers caller questions on biblical topics. Robertson is praised for his ability to segue from one topic to another smoothly. The speaker notes Robertson’s involvement in debates, including with atheists, and his efforts to engage in a fair debate with a particular individual, which has not come to fruition. The speaker reflects on the lack of biblical knowledge among some, including those within the Church of Christ, and how this affects their readiness to engage in theological debates.

The speaker introduces the sermon topic borrowed from Johnny Robertson, titled "Let the Righteous Might Me," based on Psalm 141:5. He reads from Psalm 141, starting from verse 1, emphasizing David’s plea for God’s ear and for his prayer to be like incense, a metaphor for the prayers of the saints as seen in Revelation. The sermon focuses on the need for correction and guidance from the righteous, interpreting "might me" as "strike me" in some translations, symbolizing divine or moral correction through God’s Word.

The speaker elaborates on the significance of prayer, drawing parallels from the Sermon on the Mount where Jesus encourages asking, seeking, and knocking for divine provision. He discusses the metaphorical use of incense in scripture to represent prayers, linking back to the earlier readings from Revelation. The sermon then shifts to discuss the control of one’s speech, referencing Proverbs and James, emphasizing the tongue’s power to both bless and curse, to heal or to destroy. The speaker uses vivid imagery, like comparing the tongue to fire, to underline the need for caution in speech, especially in light of global events like wildfires, which serve as a natural metaphor for the potential destructive power of words.

The speaker continues from James, emphasizing that no human can truly tame the tongue, which is described as an unruly evil full of deadly poison. He highlights the inconsistency of using the same mouth to both bless God and curse humans, made in God’s image. The scripture questions the nature of contradictions, comparing it to a fig tree not bearing olives or a vine not bearing figs, suggesting that the tongue should not yield both blessing and cursing. He acknowledges that speaking truth can be offensive, referencing Jesus, who, despite being the truth, was often found fault with by others.

The sermon shifts focus to the plea in Psalm 141 for God to not incline one’s heart toward evil. The speaker emphasizes the importance of controlling one’s thoughts and actions, cautioning against associating with or being influenced by those who practice iniquity. He references Proverbs 23:6-8, where one is warned against partaking in the food or, metaphorically, the ways of a selfish or evil man, whose intentions are not genuine. This part of the scripture warns of the consequences of such associations, likening them to consuming something only to later vomit it up, suggesting regret or spiritual sickness from partaking in evil.

Further expanding on the theme of resisting temptation, the speaker discusses how evil individuals might tempt others into sinful acts by downplaying the harm. He uses the metaphor of delicacies to describe these temptations, which might seem appealing but ultimately lead to spiritual harm. The plea in the Psalm is to be guarded against such influences, not to partake in the "delicacies" of the wicked, which could lead one astray.

The speaker concludes this segment of the sermon, announcing a break and an invitation for those moved by the message to come back to God. He invites anyone who feels the need to respond to the invitation to do so while they stand and sing, suggesting a moment of reflection or commitment in response to the sermon’s teachings.