Series title: A Pillar of Truth

[The genitive “of the truth” used in translations is probably objective genitive that can be bettered rendered “for the truth.”] Hence, The church is a “firmly-founded pillar for the truth.” - A “pillar” (stulos) was a free-standing column built to honor the accomplishments of a person of renown”. Likewise, the church is built to honor and reflect Christ to the world.

Using the imagery of ancient temple constructions such as John Stott wrote:

‘Just as those pillars held up [a] massive roof, so the church holds the truth aloft so that it is seen and admired by the world … the church’s function is to display the truth.’ Beneath the pillar lies a ‘buttress’, which is a solid wall-like structure that is constructed to protect a building. When the parts of this image are put together, it is evident that the church exists to guard the truth by proclaiming it.’

The Church of Christ is called to be a Spirit-led and empowered community that reflects God’s plural unity and oneness — There, the LORD commands lasting blessing and joy.

Introduction singing: “Behold How Good with the guitar” connecting the song to an explanation of the historical background of this Psalm.

This song just might be the most-often sung and best-known traditional Hebrew song. – and it is taken from the words of this Psalm! (Psalm 133).

This Psalm is the next-to-last Shir ha Ma’ alot known as a Song of Ascents (They are Psalms 120 – 134).

These were Psalms that the children of Israel sang as they approached the House of the Lord, the Temple (Ha beit mikdash) in Jerusalem.

Reaching their destination, the tribes of Israel would rejoice together singing:

Hinei ma tov u ma na yim shevet achim gam yachad.

“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity!”

First point:

I) The church is called to display the goodness of Godly Oneness

Exposition:

Psalm 133:1 TLV

A Song of Ascents. Of David. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity!

The word יָחַד, yachad, speaks of togetherness - oneness as when an army unites for battle.

This word carries the sense of “oneness,” but it does not mean “one” as in a single—one apple, one guitar, and so on. Nor does it denote uniformity or indivisibility; rather, it speaks of a composite unity. This is the same word that is used to describe the complex unity of God in Deut 6: 4 / His plural oneness.

This illustration may be helpful:

. . . a cluster of grapes is one cluster (echad) but many clusters grow together on the same vine (yachad).

The clusters are all different, unique, and individual, but they are members in particular of that one vine.

In a similar way, Just like there are three centers of self-consciousness, often described as three “persons” in the triune God (Adonai Echad). There is but one God. We worship only One God; the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; the God of Israel. And yet, there is also diversity and a plurality of persons within God’s unity. One could say there is a complex unity in God.

*Yeshua’s teaching in John 15; John 17 (unity passage).

John 17: 11; 20-24

John 17:20–24 NET

“I am not praying only on their behalf, but also on behalf of those who believe in me through their testimony,that they will all be one, just as you, Father, are in me and I am in you. I pray that they will be in us, so that the world will believe that you sent me. The glory you gave to me I have given to them, that they may be one just as we are one—I in them and you in me—that they may be completely one, so that the world will know that you sent me, and you have loved them just as you have loved me. “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, so that they can see my glory that you gave me because you loved me before the creation of the world.

Illustration: (Pending)

Application: (Pending)

2) Godly oneness is both caused by the Holy Spirit and is also maintained as God’s people walk under the leading of the Spirit

supporting texts: )

In Psalm 133: 2 David goes on to say that this unity is like the precious shemen or fragrant oil that was used to anoint kings and priests (v. 2); this is also the oil that was used to soothe, cleanse, and promote healing.

v. 2 reads:

It . . . (i.e., dwelling together in unity) is like the precious oil upon the head, coming down upon the beard—Aaron’s beard— coming down on the collar of his robes.

This Psalm 133 affirms that when God’s people are truly united- in one accord - When God’s people experience oneness/unity in the Spirit, that resulting condition is compared to the soothing, cleansing, and covering of the anointing oil that was used to consecrate the high priests (Aaron), the kings of Israel, and the prophets.

But that soothing and pleasant oil does not come out of nothing. It certainly comes at a heavy price. To experience true unity and oneness requires sacrifice and a price to be paid. It requires unselfishness and sacrificial love, and this is not an easy path to walk through in our own strength.

The unvarnished truth is that we are still sin-bound, even as we await our future bodily redemption, and therefore, to sustain enduring godliness and unity in all our relationships becomes nearly impossible; unless of course we depend upon the LORD.

But dependence upon God displaying patient endurance comes at a price. that soothing and pleasant anointing oil that may be powered out on us does not come cheap. It is costly.

The anointing Oil, the Oil press, and the Holy Spirit (Illustration) - by Jonathan Cahn

Anointing oil is taken from Olives utilizing an oil press for the process:

- “olives would be placed on the top and a large wheel-like stone and this one would roll over them, crushing them. The crushing of the olives would release their oil.

In Hebrew, the word for olive oil is shemen. And the word for press is gat. An oil press is a gatshemen or gatshmanim. What does gatshmanim sound like?” You guessed it! —“Gethsemane!”

“Yes, the name Gethsemane means the oil press.

And why is this the place where Messiah’s sufferings began? Well, let begin with the LORD’s main role: Messiah (o Christos) - the word Messiah means “anoited one”

The word Messiah is linked to oil, olive oil, shemen.

But for oil to be released, there must be a crushing that takes place first.

The name “Gethsemane,” “Gatshmanim,” means the olive press; the place where the crushing begins (the crushing of the olives and the crushing of Jesus in his passion/suffering . . .

first, was crushing of His will, then He experienced the crushing of His life.

“And so, what does oil (Olive oil) represent?”

“In the Scriptures, oil is linked to healing and joy, and, in its most sacred application, it is connected to the act of anointing.

Oil would be poured out to anoint kings and prophets.

So oil, in its highest symbolism, signifies the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.” - (consecrating and separating persons for God’s glory and for his purposes).

“So, then, if the crushing of olives in the olive press releases oil,” “then the crushing of Messiah in “in Gethsemane (the oil press), is also linked to healing, joy, and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.”

It is “the crushing of Messiah in His death united with HIs later resurrection what brings true healing and joy . . . This is further sealed with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

But It all begins in the oil press, Gatshmanim . . . Gethsemane.”

Application:

Church, in His sovereign and loving plan for us, the LORD permits Gethsemane experiences in our lives. Under the oil press, we become men and women forged in his image through a measure of suffering. And in the process of this crushing we experience, our wills, our character, our hearts become shaped and forged more in the likeness of our savior.

Being conformed to the image of Christ comes at a price, but its worth it. And in the end, our lives will become delightful offerings to our God.

- We must “let every desire and ambition that is not of God be surrendered and crushed. And in their crushing, may we be filled with the oil of the Holy Spirit.

Supportive passages: Leviticus 8:10–12; Luke 22:39–44

Romans 8:28–29 NET

And we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose, because those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.

This oil press experience leads us towards Godliness as our character and will become more submissive to God, and the result is that our hearts towards people shifts causing us to become more patient, tolerant, loving, caring, sacrificial and generous towards those with whom we live and experience life.

Think for a moment about the passage in Acts 2: 1-4 in light of the context

Feast of Shavuot (Pentecost) one of the three feast in Israel of obligatory pilgrimage to Jerusalem.

There are people who had come from at least 10 nations to Jerusalem (according to Acts)

The apostles are found to be unified in Spirit .

Acts 2:1–4 NKJV

When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Acts 2 shows a pattern of the Unifying Purpose wrought by the Holy Spirit upon the Church of Christ in all ages.

Acts 2: 1-4 presented a Reversal of the rebellious experience at Babel (Gen 11).

Craig Keener

Luke’s theme of Mission transcending cultural and linguistic barriers. (unity).

Comparison ( Babel narrative vs. the tower of babel)

Babel represents the only scattering of languages in the OT; Acts 2 presents languages in the context of unity wrought by the Holy Spirit.

Differences:

God scattered nations at Babel for trying to deify themselves (Gen 11:4); by contrast, the disciples at Pentecost are waiting in obedience to Jesus’s command (Acts 1: 4-5). In stead of trying to reach heaven (as did the people at Babel), the disciples are waiting for their LORD who has ascended to heaven (Acts 1:9-11) to send them the Holy Spirit.

In Genesis 11: 7, God descended to confound the transgressors, God scattered tongues to prevent unity ; in Acts, during Pentecost the The Spirit descends and scatters tongues to create multicultural unity (Acts 1: 14; 2:1; 42; 44-46).

Craig Keener

To pursue a close relationship with the Spirit of God, allows us to be effective and useful in community. We have a great example in Jesus Himself, who, as its stated in Philippians 2, being God Himself decided to empty himself when he became one with his creation, a human. That emptying emplies that He chose not to use his divine attributes as a means to obtain advantage while living on earth as a man. What this text tells us is that He lived as a complete man.

Gerald F. Hawthorne in his book: The Presence of the Power: The Significance of the Holy Spirit in the Life and Ministry of Jesus, writes very insightful and inspiring words:

“ Each of the gospel writers describe and agree on at least two fundamental matters: 1) Jesus was indeed a human being, a genuine human person, owning all the limitations that pertain to humanity, and 2) that Jesus depended upon the Holy Spirit throughout his entire life to enable him to burst the boundaries of his human limitations. The Holy Spirit who descended upon Him at his baptism, entered into him, and filled him, was the Spirit of God who infused him with the power to overcome temptations, teach with authority, challenge established religious structures in the name of God, see people not in the mass but as individuals, sense the inner joy of each person or their pain and hurt, reach out and touch people, lift them up, help them, heal them, find them, redeem them, save them, restore them to wholeness, and turn them back to God in a word to effectually carry to completion the mission His Father had given him to do and which only he could do in this fallen, broken world. . . that which gave authority to Jesus’ words when he taught the Law and preached the Good News of the Kingdom of God, that which made his proclamations creatively alive, that which made his message life-transforming, was the Holy Spirit. The Spirit illuminated his mind, gave him insight into the truth of God, and enabled him to speak with an authoritatively convicting power never experienced by the scribes. . .

So, we see with clarity that fully dependence upon the Spirit of God causes us to experience oneness, unity at different relationship levels (at church with brothers and sisters, at work as we are more inclined to humbly yield and submit, etc).

Illustration: (Pending)

Application: (Pending)

3. God commands lasting blessing upon God’s people as they experience Godly oneness

Mount Hermon Imagery

Psalm 133: 3

Psalm 133:3 (ESV)

It is like the dew of Hermon,

which falls on the mountains of Zion!

For there the Lord has commanded the blessing,

life forevermore.

“Mount Hermon in particular is indeed a mighty or majestic mountain, literally, a “mountain of God.” It towers into the heavens and thus suggests the possibility of or the claim to a link between heaven and earth.” - John Goldingay

· For it is there, in the beauty of unity, that the LORD will command His power of favor and success, even everlasting life.

· It is no wonder that a major theme of the new covenant (New Testament) is that followers of Messiah (Christ) should pursue unity.

· If we pursue Messiah and His righteousness, then unity and all its blessings will certainly pursue us!

The Church of Christ is called to be a Spirit-led and empowered community that reflects God’s plural unity and oneness — There, the LORD commands lasting blessing and joy.

Song:

Psalm 133: 1

Behold How good and how pleasant it is

for brothers dwell together! In Unity (echo) . . .

. . . La la lai la la la la la la lai