AUDIO RECORDING OF THIS SERMON
In Ps 32:8 there are three things that we must look to the Lord to do for us. We must look to the Lord to:
Instruct us – “I will instruct thee.” To instruct is to direct or command. From the beginning of our salvation, the Lord instructs us. It is his desire through his commands to direct us. The Lord instructed Paul from the moment that Paul first met him, Acts 9:6. He gave Paul specific instructions on what he should do. Paul spelled out these instructions in Acts 26:13-20. The Lord God instructed his own Son about his business, Lk 2:49. He was only 12 years old and yet he knew these instructions. Likewise, the Lord is instructing you. But you must follow his instructions. Often we are more like children who don’t want to be told what to do or like people who don’t follow the instructions with a new purchase. God can’t instruct us if we don’t listen to and follow his instructions.
Teach us – I will “teach thee in the way which thou shalt go.” To teach is to communicate to another the knowledge of that of which he was before ignorant. To teach is to cause to know something or to cause to know how. The Lord will teach you. But you must show up for “school.” Too may of us are truant Christians. God can’t teach us because we aren’t teachable.
God often uses others to teach you, as Ananias taught Paul, Acts 22:10-15. Paul taught Timothy, 2 Tim 3:14. The Lord God taught Jesus Christ, Is 50:4. Parents are supposed to teach children. Look how Timothy’s mother taught him and look how he turned out in 2 Tim 1:5, 2 Tim 3:15, Acts 16:1-2.
Experience is a good teacher, as well. In Phil 4:11-12, Paul learned how to be abased and how to abound and thereby to be content. Jesus learned obedience through the things that he suffered, Heb 5:8. And we learn by experience, Rom 5:3-5. Too often we ignore something God has already taught us or something he is trying to teach us in the way we should go. Don’t ignore God’s teaching.
Guide us – “I will guide thee with mine eye.” To guide is to lead in a way. From the very beginning of their relationship, God guided Paul, Acts 9:6. He guided him to go to the city. Then, in Acts 9:17-19, the Lord guided Paul to receive his sight, to be filled with the Holy Ghost, and to be baptized. Then he guided Paul to Arabia, Gal 1:15-17. And we must be faithful to follow God’s lead all the way through our lives. Paul failed to follow the Lord when he guided him against going to Jerusalem, Acts 21:4. Paul was very mature in the Lord at this time. Thus, we must be careful to follow God’s guide even when we think we already know the way. The Lord God guided his own Son, Is 50:5-6, even when it was into something very difficult. And the Holy Spirit guides us Rom 8:14, Jn 16:13. Be faithful to continually follow God’s lead.
Conclusion: The Lord will instruct you if you will follow his instructions. The Lord will teach you if you are willing to be taught. The Lord will guide you if you will follow. He’s got his eye on you. He said, “I will guide thee with mine eye.”