Overview
This is the second in a summer series exploring what pleases and displeases God. The teaching centers on Psalm 15, Joshua 24, and connections to New Testament passages.
Foundational Themes (from Session 1, briefly revisited)
- God’s ultimate desire, from Genesis to Revelation, is to dwell intimately with people
- Sin separates us from God (Isaiah 59), but his redemption plan bridges that gap
- Faith is essential to pleasing God — without it, we cannot appropriate his promises (Hebrews 11)
Psalm 15 — Portrait of Someone Who Dwells with God
David asks: “Who shall sojourn in your tent? Who shall dwell on your holy hill?”
The answer describes a person who:
| Quality | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Walks blamelessly, does what is right | Lives righteously, imitating God’s character |
| Speaks truth in his heart | Honest self-examination (cf. 2 Corinthians 13) |
| Does not slander | Guards speech; builds others up (cf. Ephesians 4:29) |
| Does no evil to his neighbor | Love fulfills the law (Romans 13) |
| Despises the vile, honors God-fearers | Adopts God’s own moral perspective |
| Swears to his own hurt and doesn’t change | Keeps commitments even at personal cost |
| Doesn’t lend at interest or take bribes | Never exploits others for personal gain |
Promise: “He who does these things shall never be moved” — echoed in 2 Peter 1:10 (“you will never fall”)
In the Old Testament, few actually lived this way. Today, with the Holy Spirit and Christ in us, we are empowered to do so.
Joshua 24 — The Problem of Hidden Idols
Joshua’s farewell address exposes a subtle but critical failure in Israel:
- The people sincerely believed they were serving God — keeping feasts, remembering the Exodus, following the law
- But they had quietly kept the idols of surrounding nations as a kind of “insurance policy”
- Joshua’s stunning declaration: “You are not able to serve the Lord” — because God is holy and jealous, demanding exclusive devotion
- He challenges them: “Put away the foreign gods among you and incline your heart to the Lord”
- A stone is set as a witness to their renewed commitment
Application: Idols in Modern Life
The same pattern applies to believers today:
- We can be sincere Christians who still allow idols — things we look to for security, significance, comfort, or identity instead of God
- Examples cited: running/athletic achievement, career success, material comfort, worldly pleasures
- Key references on idolatry: Jeremiah 2 (“worthless idols”), Ezekiel 14 (“idols set up in your hearts”)
- The call: examine yourself honestly, identify what has replaced God, and “chuck the idols”
Closing Encouragement
- Because of Christ’s work, we are already righteous, forgiven, and holy before God
- We identify with the new man in Christ (Romans 6–8), not the old Adamic nature
- The goal: a life that is a delight and rejoicing to God, marked by intimacy, full surrender, and an undivided heart (John 14:23)
Upcoming
- Informal monthly gathering: Honey and Soul coffee shop, 3rd Thursday of each month, 10 AM — first meeting June 18
- Future series: Book of Jeremiah (Old Testament focus)
02 Psalm 15