Blessed is He Who Comes: Meditations on Psalm 118
Psalms for Renewal • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 1 viewOn Psalm Sunday, we witness the foundation of God's steadfast love. As the Psalmist proclaims, God has laid a cornerstone that is marvelous in our eyes. Jesus is the precious rock whose life we are built upon, and we continue offering thanks to the Lord for the firm love that he endures during his Passion week.
Notes
Transcript
Reading of Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29
Intercessory Prayer
I. Confessing the Steadfast Love of God (Psalm 118:1-2).
The Psalmist testifies about God’s steadfast love.
Procession to the temple of the Lord to offer his tribute to the Lord.
God’s steadfast love brings the Psalmist to the Lord’s holy presence (Psalm 118:19-20).
God’s steadfast love has heard his prayers (Psalm 118:21a).
God’s steadfast love has given him salvation (Psalm 118:21b).
Now, the rest of Israel can shout, confess and proclaim, “God’s steadfast love endures forever!” (Psalm 118:2).
And, they can declare along with his love, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! (Psalm 118:26).
This praise and declaration takes us to this Sunday, Palm Sunday (John 12:12-16).
Palm Sunday presents the occasion Jesus’ rides to Jerusalem on a donkey.
The people are waving palm branches are shouting, “Hosanna,” save, we pray.
It’s the beginning of Christ’s Passion week and the demonstration of God’s steadfast love.
The triumphal entry communicates the foundation of God’s steadfast love.
How do we know God’s steadfast love endures forever?
Through God’s action of laying the cornerstone of our faith (Isa 28:16).
16 therefore thus says the Lord God, “Behold, I am the one who has laid as a foundation in Zion, a stone, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, of a sure foundation: ‘Whoever believes will not be in haste.’
II. The Stone Rejected has Become the Cornerstone (Psalm 118:19-24).
God’s steadfast love is shaped as a cornerstone.
The cornerstone is the foundational piece to forming the structure of a building.
After the temple cleansing, Jesus used this Psalm 118 to speak concerning himself. The rejected stone.
Jesus is the cornerstone where God’s kingdom is built upon.
He’s entering Zion to establish his steadfast love for all people by laying his life down on the cross.
This week begins where Jesus will experience being rejected and forsaken for the sake of loving us, sinners who need salvation.
But what will you do with the cornerstone of the Lord?
The world will reject him.
The crowd cried, “Hosanna,” on Sunday and on Friday, “Crucify him.”
But his people will build their life on his firm foundation.
They will sing, “You are my God; and I will give thanks to you (Psalm 118:28).
III. The Marvelous Work of God (Psalm 118:25-29).
Those who see the cornerstone and believe in him will not be put to shame (1 Peter 2:4-7).
4 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” 7 So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,”
God in Christ is doing a marvelous work in our eyes (Psalm 118:24).
He is saving us.
He has heard our cries of sorrow.
He is taking us to the presence of God.
He does all these things by stacking us onto of his Son (Eph 2:20).
20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone,
We are becoming the new temple of God where the Spirit dwells.
We are joined to Christ’s lights which shines upon us (Psalm 118:27).
We are placed firmly in God’s steadfast love forever.
As we remember our cornerstone, and the path Christ to demonstrate his ultimate love for lost sinners.
Let’s build our lives upon his Son.
Give thanks to the Lord!
For he is good!
His steadfast love endure forever!