During the Feb. 5 chapel service at the University of Mobile, students were encouraged by Ted Traylor with a message titled “Lessons from the middle of the Book” as he spoke out of Psalm 117 about God’s lovingkindness and truth.
Traylor is senior pastor of Olive Baptist Church in Pensacola, Florida, and is passionate about mentoring and training young ministers. He is a leader in Southern Baptist life, having served as president of the Florida Baptist Convention, president of the Southern Baptist Convention Pastors Conference and as first vice president of the Southern Baptist Convention.
‘Heart of the Bible’
“I want to draw some lessons from the middle of the Book so when you walk out of here today, I want you to remember that Psalm 117 is the heart of the Bible,” Traylor said. “Hear what David wrote when he said, ‘Praise the Lord, all nations; Laud Him, all peoples! For His lovingkindness is great toward us, and the truth of the Lord is everlasting. Praise the Lord.’ ”
As Traylor addressed the students he exclaimed, “We’re going to give God praise today for His lovingkindness.”
“I want you to remember two pillars today of lovingkindness and truth,” Traylor said. “As a matter of fact, Psalm 25:10 says, ‘All the paths of the Lord are lovingkindness and truth.’ Psalm 85:10 says, ‘Lovingkindness and truth meet together; they are one.’ Psalm 89:14 tells us that ‘lovingkindness and truth go before you.’ Psalm 115:1 tells us that we ‘give glory to God’s name because of His lovingkindness and truth.’ We are going to build on what I share with you today based on those two words: lovingkindness and truth.”
Traylor explained that the Hebrew word for lovingkindness is ‘hesed,’ and the Hebrew word for truth is ‘emet.’
It’s both/and
“If lovingkindness is all you have but you have no truth, it’s powerless,” Traylor noted. “If you have truth without lovingkindness, it’s just punishment. When you take lovingkindness to the New Testament, it’s a different word. It’s the word ‘grace’ or ‘kairos.’ We sing an old hymn, ‘Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound.’ It’s saving grace. For by grace you are saved by faith. Not that of yourself or by works that you can boast about, it’s all of God. When you die you will stand before the Lord, and you will either be lost or saved. You will only be saved if you stand there by grace.
“God’s grace loves you, and His Son loves you. God will save you today if you call on His name; that’s the lovingkindness of God. It’s not just the saving grace, it’s the sustaining grace too. It will see you through. In 2 Corinthians 12:9, Paul said, ‘My grace will see you through because my power is perfected in weakness.’ When you are weak, He is strong. After you’ve been saved, God gives you sustaining grace. I don’t know what you’re walking through right now, but God’s grace is sufficient for you. In your weakness, He will show strength. The lovingkindness, the grace of God — praise Him for it.”
Traylor then told students to “flip the coin on the other side” as transitioned the message to look at the other key word: truth.
“I want you to see my other word for just a moment,” he said. “Not just lovingkindness or grace, but the word ‘truth.’ You’ve got to put truth with lovingkindness. Jesus said in John 8:32, ‘You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.’
“Three things about truth very quickly,” Traylor said. “There’s the person of truth — His name is Jesus. Jesus said, ‘I am the way. I am the truth, and I am the life.’ There is nothing truer than Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus is the person of truth.
“Not only is there the person of truth, but there’s also the book of truth: the Bible. Isaiah 40:8 says, ‘The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the Word of God lasts forever.’ God’s Word is the only absolute truth. All of it is true. Jesus is the person of truth. The Bible is the book of truth, and there’s also the Spirit of truth. John 16:13 says, ‘The Spirit of truth will guide you into all truth.’
‘Wind of God is moving’
Traylor then encouraged the students to enthusiastically proclaim that ‘Jesus wins’ before closing in prayer and praising God for His lovingkindness and truth.
“Students listen to me and forgive me if I cry,” he said. “I’ve been praying for over 40 years to see a revival come among a young generation. I’m a product of the Jesus movement of 1970–71 that started on the west coast that made its way to Kentucky and Alabama. I was in the middle of that, and God shook my world. God swept a whole generation into Him. Students listen to me. I’m seeing it in your generation. The wind of God is moving. God can do more in a moment than we can do in a lifetime.
“Ephesians 3:20 tells us that God is able. I don’t know what you are facing, but God is able. We need to touch this nation with the gospel. We can do it if we ever learn to love with grace and truth. Wed them together and you’ll find the power of almighty God working in you. In the end every knee is going to bow and every tongue is going to confess that Jesus is Lord. Jesus wins.”
A full video of the chapel address can be found on the UM YouTube channel.
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