Approaching Jesus

Introduction

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2nd and last of Jesus in the Psalms Series.

We are looking at Ps 131 whichis one of the songs of Acent. These are psalms that the Israelites would sing on their way to Jerusalem for festivals and passover.

This was important becuase it was at Jeruslaem where the temple was and the ark of the covenant. The Ark of the covenant was in the holy of holies part of the temple and God’s presence resideded with it.

They were not just ascending to Jerusalem bc it was on a hill, they were ascending to the place wheree God is.

We however, have direct access to God because of Jesus’ death burial and resurrection.

When we enter into his presence though, there is a proper way and an improper way. And there is really only one response to being with Jesus and living with the Holy Spirit of God inside you.

Today we are going to see 3 responses to being in the presence of God.

Have you ever been in somones presense and responded wrongly?

Like being star struck. Ever met a celebrity? or someone you look to as a celebrity?

Do you all rememberr Backstrreet boys? N*Sync? I’m really thankful that the boy band craze doesn’t exist like it did back then. at least if it does, we aren’t seeing the coverage…and I”m ok with that.

It wasn’t just boy bands though. Brittany Spears, Johnathan Taylor Thomas, both of them had crazy acting fans.

When get in the presence of someone you put on that type of pedasal there is a responsee when you get near them.

Really though the only person we should put on a pedaastal is Jesus becuase he is the only one that won’t be knocked off of it.

How do we respond when we enterr his presence?

Loook what david wrote about this and knnow that being in the presense of God becuase of Jesus is something you can experrience every day.

I want yyou to see today what it takes to be in His presence

When you do, you will feel emotions that go with it.

and I’m hoping you will take this and apply it to your life today.

Ps 131:1 “1 Lord, My heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty: Neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me.”

Exegete:

David’s recognition of who he is ccompared to God. We start with who we are compared to Christ.

This takes recognition of who God is. If David can’t handle the great matters and their are things to high for even him the king, He must be recognizing God as the one that handles those things.

-People, government, weeather, etc.

Illustrate:

Tim and Mike

Compared to Mike, I’m short. I know who to call when I need something from the top shelf.

Compared to Tim, I’m weak. I know who to call when I need heavy things lifted.

But could they help me, if I wasn’t honest about who I am compared to them.

No.

Apply:

When we approaach Jesus we have to start with an honest assessment of who we are in light of Him or comparred to Him.

We have to know who we are, who He is, and what He has done.

What’s that look like in life?

How mny times have you peersonally or heard a friend who made a statement like this: “I was at the end of my rope. I coulldn’t do any more. I just got on my knees and ccried out. Then the next thing I know happening things strrting working out. Things started happening that I couldn’t explain.”

Ofteen right? Becuase God doesn’t get involved when He won’t get the glory. Some apply this to healing situations or medical problems. You say “God we would give you the glory if you heal this person.” But will you give him the glory if He doesn’t.

Every time God acts in our lives for our betterrment, it’s in spite of who we are. However I can’t help but to believe if we don’t recognize who we are and declare as David did “I’m not proud, I’m not seeking more thany ou will give” God’s not going to be in what we rre doing.

This is why it’s important to honestly assess ourselves as people and the roles God has us in. Parent, grandparent, brother, sister, spousee, teen, etc.

Romans 12:3 “3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.”

Paul wrote and laid this out.

If you think yourself higher than you are, you will never go any higher.

You can’t grow closer to Jesus, if you see yourself as already close to Jesus. You can’t become a betterr parent, friend, etc. if you think you are already there.

The first way to approacch Jesus is with honesty

I. Approach Jesus with honesty

Then, David Goes on

Ps 131:2 “2 Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, As a child that is weaned of his mother: My soul is even as a weaned child.”

There is a lot going on in the life of a child that is being weaned.

The child’s source of nourishment and comfort is being taking away and they are having to grow up a bit.

They are having to realize that what they ultimately find comfort in and depend on is their mother as a whole and not just part of her.

The child is learning to soothe themselves in another way.

David decribed His soul as a weaned child. His soul is in the place of growth. Ready to rely on God as a whole not just the thing He ccan do for Dvid.

Illustrate:

What I see David expressing here is how fter seeing himself and who He is compared to Jesus, and honestly determing who Jesus is, He finds comfort in those truths inside of all of the crazy that is happening in his life.

If you don’t know the type of life David had, it wasn’t a bed of roses.

He was on the run from the king all across Isreal, who was also his father in law. After beccoming king he dealt with many battles, then he had a guy murdered becauase he didn’t want him or the kingdom to know that he had slept with his wife.

He lost a child thne had more children. One of which, Absalom, tried to take the kingdom from him.

yet, he found comfort, peacec, love, nd protection in God.

Apply:

What is going on in yyour life right now? What ituations do you face that hve you in the place of a child, frantically trying to figure out how to move forward, trying to find comfort?

Do you want to approach Jesus and see what He will do in and through your life?

Honestly accept who you are and who he is and then...

II. Approach Jesus with humility

Approach him asa weened child ready to be told “What you think yo needd is something. When what you really need is someone.” And Jesus is that omeone.

Ggive Him your life and all that is in it .He can handle it.

Then the final verse to this short psalm is

Ps 131:3 “3 Let Israel hope in the Lord From henceforth and for ever.”

Exegete:

Having approached God w/ honesty and humility he found what he needed, Hope.

And he is calling on his friendds, family, and the people inside of his kingdom to find their hope in the same placec.

Illustration:

What does it mean to hve hope?

It mens to trust in an expected outcome.

We often use the word hope as if it relates to luck or chance. I hope I get a raise, I hope I win the lottery, I hope I do this or that.

Biblical hope is surety you have in an expectedd outcome. In the bible hope and faith are more synonomous than how you typically hear the word hope used today.

The reason hope and faith are more aligned is becuase of who the hope and faith is in.

You see, I’m sure of my salvation b/c of Jesus so when I sy my hope or my blessedd hope of his return and my eternity in heaven with God, I’m not saying “Man I’m really hoping I’ll be lucky enough for this to happen.”

I’m sying becuase of who jesus is and what Jesus has done for me, I know He is coming back and I know that I get to spend eternity in Heaven with my Heavenly father.

Our hope in Jesus is a sure and steadfast hope.

However when you approacch Him and this life He has given you with presuppostions about who you are and who He is or should be and approach Him with pride what you get instead of hope is pity.

“don’t do this…please don’t do this.”

Tim watchign me trying to bench 245…if I tell him I know who I am and I want you to only help me by putting a rubber band around the barbell and using your two fingers only, spot me…he’s not going to do it. Why? Becuase he know it won’t work.

When you tell god how to run your life, he is going to look t you and say…that won’t work.

But when I accept reality and approach Tim asking for that spot. He may tell me…look bro…how about yyou start at 145…or even 85 and let’s work you up to 245.

I have yo accept that and being doing what he tells me to get where I think I need to be.

And when I do that I could end up on a journey to benching 345.

Why? beccuase I’m so great? No becuae I had hope in the one who could help me.

Jesus can help you. Hesu will Helo you. But you have to honestly assess yourself in light of who He is and humbly approach Him to receive, becuase wheny you do you will then be able to accept the hope he provides

III. Accept the Hope of Jesus

Let’s get realy practical. Grab a pen. Something to write on. Please don’t use the giving envelope for this, those are the most expensive thing in the back of your chairs.

let’s take an honest assessment real quick:

Set up a scale 1-10....relly just have 1, 5, 10 for time.

Your going to write one word to the left of where you put the one and then a mark basedd on your honest assessment fo yourself.

Some of these wont’ apply to everyone and that’s ok.

These are areasof your life that could cause some craziness. the numbers 1-10 is 10 being Jesus and 1 being not Jesus.

let’s write the first word:

spouse: are you as agood a spouse a Jesus would be

friend:

Coworker

Business owner

Parent

Grandparent

Ok, if you marked anything less than 10 on any of those, you need to be in the presence of Jesus.

Beccuase He is the 10 on every one of them. He loves my children more and better, He loves my wife more and better, He could pastor this church better, no amens there.

He is more emotionally put together than I am. He is more merciful ,kind, love, strong, etc. than I am.

So if I would go to the strong guy on how to learn to be strong why woudln’t I go to the loving one to learn how to love? to Pastor? To parent? To lead my home, workplace, or business?

Not approaching Jesus this way is the same as someone like me trying to bench 245 on his own. Stupid and probably going to result in someone…me…getting hurt.

What do you need to find hope in Jesus for this morning?

Time of Response