Psalm 127

Open your bibles to Psalm 127

Introduction:

Recap:

Pilgrimage = Journeying through life with God!

Songs reminding the Hebrew pilgrims that God is with them as they Journey back to Jerusalem.

Serve a s a reminder for us that God is with us as we journey through life.

3 Promises:

Solace

Instruction

Hope and Encouragement

Intro to Psalm 127

This Psalm is how we got the name of our church.

It has been a constant anchor for so many of us on the church planting Journey.

This Psalm has the truth to encourage you in so many areas of your life. (Your Family, Your work)

but for this morning we are going to focus on what truth does this psalm have for us as we Plant and dedicate Ascend Bible Church to the Lord this morning.

This morning will provide a picture of how the Lord has worked so far in Ascend, and will continue to work.

Removing any Glory from us, and giving it back to God.

B.I= 4 truths of Church Planting: The Lord Builds. The Lord watches. The Lord gives Rest. the Lord gives fruit.

Pray & Read Passage

1. The Lord builds:

Psalm 127:1 (ESV)

Unless the Lord builds the house,

those who build it labor in vain.

The Lord is the Builder.... any labor we do without God is in vain.

There is Labor done in vain… and Labor done that produces building

any of the building that we do apart from God may produce something… but it is vanity if God is not involved in the Work.

Matthew 16:18 ESV

And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

I = Jesus

Will = Intent to accomplish

Build = he is doing the work

My = Christ possession (Not ours)

Church = defined as his bride

If this is true:

We have to lean into Gods direction.

We trust what God is building and strive for nothing more and nothing less.

Share the Document from Elders Meeting on 9/15/22

Transition: We are trusting the Lord to build this church, but until Jesus returns the work of a local church is not complete.... and here is the beauty in this our church is not built today… which leads us to point two.

2. The Lord Watches:

Unless the Lord watches over the city,

the watchman stays awake in vain.

The Lord watches the City.

The Watchman owns the job, and yet we trust the Lord.

We do not have the capacity to build, nor do we have the capacity to watch… we need Gods help.

Matthew 5:14 ESV

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.

Statistics of our City: (Perry Township)

115,000 Residents (65%) of of which do not profess to be a Christian.

Free and Reduce lunch to all Schools.

38 % White, 30% Asian, 16% Hispanic/Latino, 10 % Black, Two or more races, 6% other.

More churches closing than opening.

Transition: We trust the Lord to watch over our city, guide Ascend Bible church to be a light. (I am going to stop us right now and pray to that end.

3. The Lord Gives Rest.

Psalm 127:2 ESV

It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep.

The Bread of Anxious Toil.

The Bread = you eat it like you need it.

Anxious = the weight of worry.

Toil = unnecessary busyness

What does the Lord want to give instead of toil?

Work.. but out of a posture of Rest....

We can rest knowing that the Lord has got it.

We still build, we still watch, but we trust the Lord is piecing it all together!

Proverbs 21:31 ESV

The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but the victory belongs to the Lord.

How anxious are we about what the Lord is doing?

How are we doing the busy work of ministry, rather than doing the work of ministry trusting the Lord has got this?

How do you feel when you head hits the pillow at night?

The Story of Meeting in this school:

Constant hours of driving around Perry.

Every night on real estate websites.

emailing anything that looked rental.

contacting every church.

Praying along the way… but not with real fervency.

So in July we came before the the Ascend Core Team hopeless:

we have no place to meet this fall…

But God:

We Called our church to fast and Pray for the week of July 16th....

Heres what God did.

The Psalm transitions:

- In God Building, In God working.. we can now rest their is no need for anxious Toil.

4. The Lord gives fruit:

Psalm 127:3–5 ESV

Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.

The Psalmist is applying this truth to family.

Children are an incredible blessing.

We recently had some friends that had twins born at 23 weeks.... they have described the last 8 weeks of their girls lives as watching God knit them before their eyes. truly incredible.

The Lord has knit your family together… and I say this being sensitive to those who have struggled with infertility.. i have zero intentions to put any weight on you about this.. (But I would encourage you to trust in the Lord)

You get it though… you have no option but to trust on the Lord to build your family.... No matter how he does it, through Childbirth, adoption planned or unplanned. We believe the Lord is doing the building!

Church this is the same way for us....

1) The church family resembles a family

2) The Lord is responsible of the growth.

3) We may never grow… or we may grow at an alarming rate..

4) but we can take peace in that the Lord is responsible for that growth.

- I am not.

- our systems are not,

- our failures, our strengths.

While we partner with the Lord he is the one building his church.. and here at Ascend we will give him the glory he is due.

Closing:

Recap:

1. The Lord Builds.

2. The Lord Watches.

3. The Lord gives Rest.

4. thE Lord produces fruit.

Prayer: 1) Praise you for building. 2) Praise you for watching. 3) we praise you that we can rest. 4) we give you glory for the fruit.