READ | SERMON NOTES
SUMMARY l Are we truly teachable before the Lord? In a world eager to speak, advise, and influence, the humility to be taught is easily lost. Social media constantly tells us how to think, how to live, what to value and what to pursue. Yet spiritual teachability is essential to discipleship. It is the surrender of self-dependence and the willingness to let God instruct, guide, and shape our hearts. In Psalm 86, David prays in v11, “Teach me Your way, Lord, that I may rely on Your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear Your name.” So how can we become people who are truly teachable before God?
1. Submit to His ways
God’s ways are good because God Himself is good. They are higher and faithful because they flow from His character in v15 — compassionate, gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in love and faithfulness. If we believe who God is, we must trust what He does, even when we cannot see His hand at work. We often want God to prove His goodness through immediate relief, but His glory is also seen when His people surrender to His will. In illness, disappointment, unanswered prayer, or difficult seasons, the teachable heart says, “Lord, I may not understand Your ways, but I trust Your heart.” May we submit to His definition of good and pray, “God, let Your glory be my good.”
a. His ways vindicate and deliver. Psalm 86 is David’s lament as he comes before God poor and needy, pleading for mercy amid arrogant and ruthless enemies. Yet in his pain, David does not ask only for rescue; he asks to be taught. This is the mark of a teachable heart — one that remembers God’s past deliverance and trusts His future vindication. When we are misunderstood, betrayed, overlooked, or falsely accused, our instinct may be to defend ourselves or retaliate. But spiritual teachability leads us to surrender and say, “Lord, I will trust Your ways and Your vindication, even when I cannot see it now.” Romans 12:19 reminds us that vengeance belongs to God. Therefore, we can lay down our need to repay and rest in His goodness, grace and forgiving love.
When we pray, “Lord, have Your way.” It is saying to God, “Change me, Lord, even if my circumstances remain unchanged.” Ask God to do something with me and not for me. Let our community come together and submit our ways together to God. We are not meant to be alone.
2. Fear His name
To fear the Lord is to revere Him deeply and stand in awe of who He is. David declares in v8 that none is like God, and in v9 that all nations will worship and glorify His name. The fear of the Lord means giving God the first and central place in our hearts — have the right regard for who God is.
a. To fear the Lord is to humbly need His presence. True reverence acknowledges that we cannot move forward without Him. David longed for God throughout Psalm 86, and Moses prayed in Exodus 33:15, “Lord, if Your presence is not with us, please do not send us up from here.” God’s presence is His empowering nearness, approval and delight. Without Him, success means nothing; with Him, we can be strong and courageous. As Oswald Chambers wrote, “When you fear God you fear nothing else.” When the fear of the Lord fills our hearts, every other fear loses its power and we are free to trust and follow Him.
b. The fear of the Lord calls for a pure and undivided heart. David prayed for a heart wholly devoted to God, not divided, distracted or ruled by pride. Teachability begins when we recognise that the greatest danger is not merely around us, but within us. Pride fills the heart with self, but the fear of the Lord makes room for God. Solomon began with humility, asking for wisdom, but pride and power later turned his heart away. Yet God still invites the divided heart to return. Like David in v12, may we praise God with all our heart and ask for the promise of Ezekiel 11:19 — a new heart, tender toward Him and ready to walk in His ways.
We often think we have a lot to teach our children as we have more years of knowledge. God tells us that our love must go beyond our rights. We all need to be teachable so that we can walk in God’s truth and have an undivided heart so that we may fear His name.
(Sermon notes by Honey Vreugdewater)
PONDER | REFLECTION QUESTIONS
- Study Scripture
a. Read Psalm 86 - Recall Sermon
a. Why is spiritual teachability so crucial to our discipleship?
b. Why should we submit to God’s ways? What are the three reasons the sermon offers? Which one resonates with you?
c. What does it mean to fear the Lord? How does that speak to your current journey of discipleship?
d. How is the purity of your heart? What is causing your heart to be divided. Repent and seek the Lord to purify your heart. - Relate Personally
a. What about the message that really spoke to you? - Commit to Action
a. In what ways is God calling you to act in response to the message?
b. What steps will you take this week to be teachable by God?
