Claimed By God
Ascend: The way of Worship • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Good morning - We want to welcome those of you at Woodland Church in Ironwood. We are grateful to worship the Lord with you today.
This morning I want to ask if you have ever known someone with incredible memory?
maybe its someone who is able to remember all kinds of stats, codes, and information.
Or someone who can quickly recall important dates and events in their life.
Or perhaps, someone who always remembers the story. They have a knack for being able to recall special moments, times of great fun, and of course - everyone remembers the embarrassing ones.
In student ministry we have five values that we chose to embrace. The first is “Engaging Experiences.” You might wonder why we chose it. The reason is because we believe that when students spend time with caring adults and have these “engaging experiences,” it will lead to our second value which is “Valued Relationships.”
Engaging experiences lead to valued relationships
To help bridge the gap from experiences to relationships we use a very intentional phrase, “Remember when...”
We ask our leaders to be intentional about recalling unique stories, Unusual activities, and special moments. Because it reminds us that we have history. In remembering what happened, it enables us to look forward together. You see, many times, to recall what has happened is a call to take action, to move forward.
In fact, we regularly see the apostles teach in this way when they are interacting with other Jews. They quickly recall what the Lord said to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. They tell the story of Joseph and Moses in order to help people see that Jesus really is the Christ, the Son of God.
You see, our memory is a gift. It is a way for us to recall how the Lord has been faithful throughout history. It is a way for us to recall how he has been faithful to us.
Journal
This is a journal that I started in 2012. From time to time, I come back to it. Most of what is in here is me expressing how I have seen the Lord at work, specific prayers, and some scripture passages I was breaking down to pray over. It is something that can be helpful to flip through on the hard days. It acts as a reminder of God’s faithfulness, a place where I can go to cry out to him. On the good days, it can simply be encouraging as it reminds me of the the Lord’s calling on my life.
Calling to mind the Lords faithfulness will encourage us to live out our faith today. Calling on the Lord, to recall His promises, is a way of asking Him to act on His word.
What we find is that dwelling on the promises of God, recalling them to mind so that we have a fresh hold on them, keeps us striving towards Him.
You see promises give rise to present hope, while foreseeing blessings in the future.
We are drawing close to the end of our series on the Psalms of Ascent. The 15 Psalms from 120-134 that reflect the journey of christian pilgrims who traveled to Jerusalem to Worship God. Today, we are in Psalm 132 and it starts with a call to the Lord, to remember.
A Song of Ascents.
1 Remember, O Lord, in David’s favor, all the hardships he endured,
2 how he swore to the Lord and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob,
3 “I will not enter my house or get into my bed,
4 I will not give sleep to my eyes or slumber to my eyelids,
5 until I find a place for the Lord, a dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.”
6 Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah; we found it in the fields of Jaar.
7 “Let us go to his dwelling place; let us worship at his footstool!”
8 Arise, O Lord, and go to your resting place, you and the ark of your might.
9 Let your priests be clothed with righteousness, and let your saints shout for joy.
10 For the sake of your servant David, do not turn away the face of your anointed one.
11 The Lord swore to David a sure oath from which he will not turn back: “One of the sons of your body I will set on your throne.
12 If your sons keep my covenant and my testimonies that I shall teach them, their sons also forever shall sit on your throne.”
13 For the Lord has chosen Zion; he has desired it for his dwelling place:
14 “This is my resting place forever; here I will dwell, for I have desired it.
15 I will abundantly bless her provisions; I will satisfy her poor with bread.
16 Her priests I will clothe with salvation, and her saints will shout for joy.
17 There I will make a horn to sprout for David; I have prepared a lamp for my anointed.
18 His enemies I will clothe with shame, but on him his crown will shine.”
Though there are lots of moving parts and nuanced dynamics to this song, there is no question about its priority. It’s resolute focus is of God’s Holy Presence.
As we study this song we can think of it like a top tier marching band. There is a structure to provide direction for every movement. There is drill design and varying formations. The members of the band where matching uniforms and their movements are coordinated.
In many ways a marching band is distinctly unique.
Like that band this Psalm carry’s structured that speaks to direction. There is drill design and formations as it was used as part of the organized procession during the festival. Differing participants were operating as one unit to carry out one plan.
The Psalm starts with the people calling on the Lord to remember.
1 Remember, O Lord, in David’s favor, all the hardships he endured,
2 how he swore to the Lord and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob,
3 “I will not enter my house or get into my bed,
4 I will not give sleep to my eyes or slumber to my eyelids,
5 until I find a place for the Lord, a dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.”
Remember David Lord.
Gave him your favor, you used him to establish your people in the Land.
David, who you anointed as king over Israel.
David who had faith in you when facing impossible challenges.
David who loved your law and meditated on your word.
Who endured many hardships, but vowed to be diligent. Swore that he would not rest until there is an appropriate place for you Lord. A place for your presence to dwell.
David who called to you as the “Mighty one of Jacob”
Remember Lord how you were with our forefathers, that you were the same God who walked with Jacob and demonstrated your might.
This calling on God to remember is an intentional call out to God as well as a way to remind themselves of God’s promise. That He has been there for them and His presence will be found among His people.
Calling back to David and to Jacob is a way of recognizing that the Lord clothed them with His presence. In fact, it was for that very reason that they were able to
endure the hardships of life.
Because they were clothed with His presence, they experienced victory.
They saw and felt the power of God put on display simply by being present with His people.
The Psalmist is reminding the people of the significance of God’s presence. That it is unlike any other. The Holiness of His presence generates hope for the future as we have seen the Lord advance His people wherever He is present with them.
Do you know that you get to dwell in that same presence?
Do you know that anyone who has put their faith and trust in Jesus is given the right...... not just to be in His presence, but also that He goes with you. Wherever you go, the Holy presence of God that represents victory throughout time dwells within believers.
It’s one of the tremendous blessings of being a child of God. That we can commune with Him in each and every moment.
I find it beautiful, that this Psalm was placed here. When we consider the journey we have been on as prilgrims in these Psalms of Ascent, lets consider what has happened in the past few weeks.
In Psalm 129 we saw that the people of God were heavily afflicted. We felt the weight of knowing that we will go through season of deep Pain. But Because God is righteous, because He has cut the cords of the wicked we can endure.
But we cannot endure on our own. We do not have the strength, we are not able to muster up the strength. To believe that we can manage our life without God is foolish.
In Psalm 130, we appropriately turned towards the Lord in our pain. “Out of the depthsI cry to you, O Lord!” but from those depths “I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope.”
In great pain and tribulation there is a willingness to do nothing by my own strength but turn in surrender and simply wait for God to move.
Then we came to Psalm 131 last week and found ourselves at a critical juncture. In our waiting for God will we stop trusting ourselves more than God? Will we humble ourselves. Will we trust Him, even when we don’t like it?
Friends, we are on a spiritual journey as pilgrims, and now we come to Psalm 132 and find the power of God’s presence. Beyond victory, God’s presence also represents fulfillment of His promises. That there are abundant blessings of provision and satisfaction found before His throne. That the determination to wait in 130 and the focus to settle our souls in God’s presence in 131 is so worth it.
Are you determined to trust God? If you are, you must be determined to be found in His word, in prayer, before His throne. It is only in the presence of God that real transformation and blessing takes hold of us.
Our Psalmist knows it.
6 Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah; we found it in the fields of Jaar.
7 “Let us go to his dwelling place; let us worship at his footstool!”
The people are committed to remembering the promises of God, His presence among their forefathers, and the reality that He is still present with them. His presence drives their determination to worship. To be found in the dwelling place. To long to worship at His footstool.
We are talking about a type of spiritual hunger that very few, if any of us can relate. Its a burning desire to be with God and to worship God. It’s recognition that there is nothing greater than to be found in His presence. So they aim to live in that place. To simply be with the Father and to elevate His name.
Now that they are before the throne, they collectively pray to the Lord
8 Arise, O Lord, and go to your resting place, you and the ark of your might.
9 Let your priests be clothed with righteousness, and let your saints shout for joy.
10 For the sake of your servant David, do not turn away the face of your anointed one.
The people pray for what they know is right. They are purposefully aligning themselves with the fathers plan. They know its His plan because they have read it in His word.
To pray for the Lord to go to His resting place is to pray for His presence in Jerusalem. That He would be present in the temple at the Holy of Holies.
The Ark is mentioned because it was a sign for them. A sign of His presence with them. In war it represented His strength and Power. In times of harmony, it represented the fulness of blessing in peace.
To pray for God’s priests to be clothed with righteousness is to claim the transformative power of God in His people. Because of that transformation the saints shout for joy, knowing that the Lord is having His way with them.
After finding alignment by praying according to God’s word, the request is made. “Do not turn away the face of your anointed one.”
Lord, send the savior. Send the Messiah. We long for the King of Kings to come. We are aiming to be your people, to live like you have called us to live. We want to be all that you desire of us.
A spiritual leader now stands before the people to remind them of the covenant that God made with Abraham and with Moses, the covenant of generations past.
11 The Lord swore to David a sure oath from which he will not turn back: “One of the sons of your body I will set on your throne.
12 If your sons keep my covenant and my testimonies that I shall teach them, their sons also forever shall sit on your throne.”
13 For the Lord has chosen Zion; he has desired it for his dwelling place:
If we would just learn to trust God. If we would just learn to keep His commandments. Throughout history, we have failed again and again. One generation might diligently seek the Lord, but the next begins to fade away. Therefore, we would be wise as parents, as leaders, as more mature brothers and sisters to always encourage young people in their faith. To make a point dwell with them on the promises of God and the significance of His presence.
The Lord has chosen His people. He has chosen Israel. He chose Jerusalem.
The fact of the matter is that if you are a believer, God has chosen you.
1 Peter 2:9 “9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”
You are not an accident or mistake. You are not less valuable or someone to be dismissed. You are a son or daughter of the king, who has been chosen by Him, for His purposes.
It’s a beautiful reality that gets even better.
Psalm 132:13–14 “13 For the Lord has chosen Zion; he has desired it for his dwelling place: 14 “This is my resting place forever; here I will dwell, for I have desired it.”
Just as the Lord has chosen Zion, just has He chose to dwell there. He has chosen you. He has chosen to dwell in you - for He desired it.
Look how God responds to the people.
14 “This is my resting place forever; here I will dwell, for I have desired it.
15 I will abundantly bless her provisions; I will satisfy her poor with bread.
16 Her priests I will clothe with salvation, and her saints will shout for joy.
17 There I will make a horn to sprout for David; I have prepared a lamp for my anointed.
18 His enemies I will clothe with shame, but on him his crown will shine.”
As we close today, I want to ask you something.
How determined are you to seek the presence of God and rest there quieting your soul?
When you have quieted you soul, received what the Lord has for you and simply trusted Him, did you pray according to His word? Have you aligned yourself with Him by recalling His promises and claiming them? Receiving encouragement now but also having hope for the future fulfilment of that promise. Knowing that it is not a matter of if God will answer, but when.
In John 15, Jesus is giving His final teaching to the disciples before going to the cross. In verses 1-17 - He tells them 7 times over to abide in Him. The number 7 is significant to Christians as we see it as a symbol throughout the Bible.
Nelsons New Illustrated Bible Dictionary
“The word is used often in the Bible to symbolize perfection, fullness, abundance, rest, and completion.”
Is it possible that in John 15 Jesus was intending to look you square in the face and declare that everything you will ever need will be found when you learn to abide in Him?
