Psalm 48 - Security in Christ (Cornerstone)
Notes
Transcript
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RIFF - BRIEF HELLO
Hola amigos, es bueno estar aquí de nuevo en la Iglesia Corerstone
Psalm 48 (read?)
Where is your place of safety?
Where do you feel secure?
What springs to mind?
Maybe it’s behind the front door of your house. There can be madness out in the world… chaos and conflict at work.... but when you get home and close that door behind you, at last you relax. Your guard is down. You’re home. You’re SAFE.
Perhaps your safe place isn’t so much about location… but about company. Your safe people are your best friend.... or your wife or husband.... your parents…
Wherever it is.... or whoever they are there’s nothing quite like that feeling of safety is there?
This summer our family had the great privilege of doing a house swap with an American Pastor. One of my more interesting experiences in the USA was being taken to the gun range to do some shooting by some new friends. (When in Rome…!)
To someone like me who had never so much as touched a gun in my life, it was novel to say the least. And, for the most part, I enjoyed it.
The gun range was a very safe and well managed environment… Now and again though the thought occurred to me that I was, in effect, standing in a small room with 12-15 people ALL of whom carried in their hands the means to kill me on the spot.
And so - whilst I’m glad I had the experience - the moment I walked through the door and out of the range - into a place where people weren’t holding guns.... I felt something of a wave of relief come over me. I was back in a place of safety.
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This psalm asks YOU that question. Where is your ultimate place of security.
There are four things to see in this passage today… four heading - here’s the first
This Psalm is…
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1. A Picture of our security in Christ
1. A Picture of our security in Christ
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Now..... Straight away you’ll see that’s it’s a Psalm about God.... (no surprises there perhaps). But it’s also a Psalm about a CITY - you can’t miss that.
Look at v1....
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Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised
in the city of our God!
His holy mountain,
The city in question.... get’s called (v2) SLIDE MOUNT ZION.
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beautiful in elevation,
is the joy of all the earth,
Mount Zion, in the far north,
the city of the great King.
Now in the Bible, this place “Zion” was originally a town on a hill (hence ‘mount zion’) belonging to people group called the Jebusites. That is until this town was captured by King David (read about that in 1 Chronicles 11). It becomes known as the city of David… . Otherwise known as JERUSALEM. the capital.... that great walled city on a hill… where the temple is eventually built.
So “Zion” or “Mount Zion” becomes a kind of synonym - in Bible language sometimes it means the hill on which Jerusalem stands.... sometimes it means the city of Jerusalem itself.... sometimes it’s even used as a word to describe the the people of Israel or their leaders who live in the city....
That might sound odd but we still use language that way today don’t we? If the TV newsreader is discussing some matter of foreign policy he might hand over to the BBC correspondent in America and say ‘what does Washington have to say about this John?’ Well of course Washington doesn’t have anything to say, Washington’s a city… the point is what do the people (and particularly the leaders - perhaps the president) have to say.
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So here is a Psalm about the ancient city of Jerusalem.... as a place of safety and security. You’ll see that the city is called beautiful, and elevated (v2)… that enemies who march against it will be beaten back (v4-7).... the Psalmist will even encourage his readers to take a tour of the city (in their minds eye at least) - and to reflect on how strong and secure the towers and ramparts are (that’s v12-13).
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And at this point you might perhaps think - ‘ok but what has any of this got to do with me?’ Y’know… what is this, an advert for the Holy Land tourist board - what’s the point here?!
I’ve never been to Jerusalem.... even if I did go the city (as it existed in the times of the Psalmist) is much changed.... the temple is essentially gone....isn’t this all a bit irrelevant?
Well NO.
Firstly for the general reason that.... this Psalm isn’t REALLY about a city… it’s really about God. The psalm is saying that the city is secure because God makes it so.
You see that so clearly at the end of the Psalm - do you see? read from v12… SLIDE
Walk about Zion, go around her, number her towers, consider well her ramparts, go through her citadels, that you may tell the next generation that this is God, our God forever and ever. He will guide us forever.
Do you see the link… the city is only strong because it’s God’s place.... and he makes it safe. So it’s really about God not about a city…
But MORE SPECIFICALLY..... for US TODAY.... here’s the thing to grasp.... the city is a pointer to JESUS CHRIST and the security we can know IN HIM.
PAUSE
How does that work? Well, speaking about the Old Testament… the book of Colossians puts it this way...
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17 These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.
We find this so often, don’t we, as we study the Old Testament… so much of what we meet… acts like a signpost.... pointing us on to Jesus who was yet to come.... and helping us to understand who Jesus is and what he’s here to do (when indeed he does come - do you see?)
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Think about this mountain (mount Zion) - what makes the mountain significant? The fact that the city (of Jerusalem) is on it...
What makes the city significant, well MOST of all its the temple - the place of God’s presence.... the place of sacrifice where sins (symbolically at least) can be paid for and people can come to know God.
You see that central point at the centre of the Psalm (v9)
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9 We have thought on your steadfast love, O God,
in the midst of your temple.
The love of a God who makes a way for sinners to be reconciled to him. To be saved from our sin and safe in his family.
BRIEF RIFF - That is what the temple points too… the place of sacrifice which enables worshippers to draw near… place of presence…
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So... The city of Jerusalem (where the temple stands) is a pointer to the security we know if we trust in Christ as our saviour.
And if you’re not yet convinced.... just remember what Jesus himself had to say about this city of Jerusalem as he walked around it - and particularly about the TEMPLE.
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19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” 20 The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?” 21 But he was speaking about the temple of his body.
Do you see? the temple symbolised God dwelling amongst his people.... which is a signpost to JESUS who came to truly be GOD WITH US.
and the heart of the temple was the altar… which (agaiN) was a pointer to the fact that sinful rebellious people like you and me simply cannot waltz into the presence of God - NO we would be destroyed,… consumed, because God is utterly holy, he cannot mix with sinners.... so sin must be paid for - and the wages of sin is DEATH.... in other-words the altar and the animal killed upon it were a daily reminder of the need for SACRIFICE to bring access to God..... and where does all of that point? again, of course, it points to Jesus our great and ultimate sacrifice - who died at the cross to bring forgiveness and reconnection with God to all who will have him as their saviour.
As so as we are invited to tour round this ancient city of Jerusalem.... and see its security.... and delight in it’s beauty KNOW THIS…. that (really) we’re being invited to consider Jesus… it is (point 1) a picture of our security in Christ.
And so secondly we see.... (moving more quickly now)
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2. The Beauty and Joy of our security in Christ
2. The Beauty and Joy of our security in Christ
v1....
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1 Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised
in the city of our God!
His holy mountain, 2 beautiful in elevation,
is the joy of all the earth,
Mount Zion, in the far north,
the city of the great King.
3 Within her citadels God
has made himself known as a fortress.
This city is not just secure from enemies.... it is beautiful and a joyful place to be.
If you were to skip back a couple of Psalms to the very well known Psalm 46 we have recently seen a similar theme there.... without God sin and chaos reigns. But in his presence all is at peace - there is beauty and joy and gladness.
But that’s not because God is some sort of wet blanket.
No he is a GREAT KING (end of v2).
and JOY comes… (look at v11) - BECAUSE OF HIS JUDGEMENTS
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11 Let Mount Zion be glad!
Let the daughters of Judah rejoice
because of your judgments!
Again we see this in Psalm 46 - God imposes his peace… by opposing his enemies. He’s not here to negotiate with rebellious people… He doesn’t tolerate a bit of worldliness in order to pacify sinners and keep them on side....you want to know his peace? you submit to him as King… and you come to him in humble repentance.
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There was a somewhat famous German Poet in the 19th C called SLIDE Heinrich Heine.... his final words on his death bed were...
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“Of course God will forgive me, that’s his Job’
HEINRICH HEINE
This is the worst kind of presumption - as if God is our pet.... as if God owes us a living and is BOUND to forgive because we somehow deserve it or because he HAS TO.
Yes… The Lord is a wonderful saviour.... but he is also the great King who made and rules all things. We ought to bow in trembling before him. The only safe place to be is to be with him - the one place we do not deserve to be because we ourselves are guilty sinners.... and yet in his grace he makes a way for us in Christ. What wonderful undeserved grave from the King of all Kings.
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And for those IN CHRIST there’s real beauty and joy.
AS the Psalmist contemplates the beauty of this secure city.... we are to contemplate the beauty of Christ and of our security in him.
Maybe that sounds an odd thing to us - we tend to think of beauty as a feminine thing.... and we tend to think of beauty as being about looks. And we know (from the prophet Isaiah) that Jesus, having taken on flesh, had no particular physical beauty or majesty.
But true Beauty and worth are not about looks but about character - we know that deep down.
The 17th C Puritan writers often get a bad press (unfairly so)… but they had grasped the need to dwell on the true wonder and beauty of Jesus - (what Ps 96 calls - the beauty of his HOLINESS).
Listen to (perhaps) the most famous Puritan, Jonathan Edwards
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He that sees the beauty of holiness, or true moral good, sees the greatest and most important thing in the world. Unless this is seen, nothing is seen that is worth seeing: for there is no other true excellence or beauty.
Jonathan Edwards
Do we dwell on the holiness of Christ?
Do we think about the the wonderful character of Jesus?
We’ve seen the beauty and joy of our security in Christ… now (no. 3)
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3. The Security of our security in Christ
3. The Security of our security in Christ
Read on v4
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4 For behold, the kings assembled;
they came on together.
5 As soon as they saw it, they were astounded;
they were in panic; they took to flight.
6 Trembling took hold of them there,
anguish as of a woman in labor.
7 By the east wind you shattered
the ships of Tarshish.
When God within her.... the city is safe from all attack.
Of course that’s why the exile when the land was invaded, when Jerusalem did fall was so serious - it was a sign that God (as it were) had left the city in an act of judgement on the people.
What does this mean for us?
It means all who are in Christ are utterly safe and secure. Nothing and no-one can tear us from him. Because nothing and no-one can overpower him.
To be clear this doesn’t mean life will be easy… you only need turn back to any number of other Psalms to see that… but it does mean we are ultimately safe.
The writer to the Hebrews (who is actually quoting from the Psalms) puts it this way...
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6 So we can confidently say,
“The Lord is my helper;
I will not fear;
what can man do to me?”
The worst man can take is to take my life - and (of course) for some Christian’s around th…at is a very real and daily threat…. but for those in Christ even that only hastens the day when they are with Christ face to face, in his eternal glory.
And we need to be clear on this if we’re going to stand up for Christ in ways that might cost us.
But you might still be saying.... well, so what? That’s point 4....
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4. Security in Christ - So What?
4. Security in Christ - So What?
We’ve seen a Psalm about an ancient city.... as a picture of our security in Christ… but what’s the take home? How should I respond? What should I do in response to all of this?
Well I think there are at least three things…
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- Dwell on our security in Christ
- Dwell on our security in Christ
We are not very good at this. We are active, impatient and we have short attention spans in this modern world. But the first right response to this Psalm is to stop… to dwell… to think.... to meditate.... on the wonderful security we have in Christ.
The psalm ends with this amazing command… v12
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12 Walk about Zion, go around her,
number her towers,
13 consider well her ramparts,
go through her citadels,
that you may tell the next generation
One commentator says…
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The psalm invites us to ‘walk about’ Christ, to ‘consider well’ the beauty, the safety, and the love of God that is ours in Christ, and to take heart in the midst of a dangerous world. CHRISTOPHER ASH
We are a culture so busy scrolling on our screens...
We’ve little time for dwelling on the goodness of Jesus…
If we are truly in Christ, no sin can draw us from him.... no enemy can overcome.... Satan may oppose us like a roaring lion and we are in a Spiritual battle - but it is one won by Christ.... not even death can snatch us from him.
Jesus himself said…
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37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.
And he said this…
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28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.
So dwell on our security in Christ.....
Next…
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- Praise for our security in Christ
- Praise for our security in Christ
You can’t miss this note in the Psalm…
v1 - Great is the Lord and greatly to be PRAISED
v2 - the JOY of the whole earth.
v10 - as your name O God so your PRAISE reaches to the ends of the earth
v11 - let Mount Zion be GLAD…
God deserves our joy-filled praise. Joy-filled praise is about more than what we do together on Sundays - but it includes what we do here on Sundays.
I gotta tell you I have been in too many churches where singing the praises of God has felt either like some kind of inconvenient side-show before the sermon.... or just a miserable dirge-like experience. And this is a comment to our musicians and singers who lead us - its a comment to ALL of us.
God deserves our praise… and it is our joy to worship him.... as we sing his praise - just like the Psalmist - we should be calling to mind all the good that God has done us in Christ - the undeserved rescue - the full security.
So dwell on our security in Christ…
praise for our security in Christ....
and finally…
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- Sharing our security in Christ
- Sharing our security in Christ
The shrewd among you will have spotted I have repeatedly missed a bit… read from v12 again
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12 Walk about Zion, go around her,
number her towers,
13 consider well her ramparts,
go through her citadels,
that you may tell the next generation
It is our task to KNOW JESUS.... so that we CAN MAKE HIM KNOWN. That is our mission statement as a church up in Elgin, Forres and Burghead.
You guys say the same thing in a slightly different way - you are a church for the committed and the curious..
Either way the point is the same… whether here on the streets of our nations capital… or in the towns and rural places where we live… we are surrounded by folk who are without hope and withourt God in the world, who’s greatest need is to know the salvation and security of our saviour Jesus.
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The emphasis here is particularly on the next generation. We need to tell the next generation that God is the safe place to be. That he’s the one in whom we can put our trust and find salvation. And know true self worth. Following him is the adventure of our lives.
That means OUR children and teenagers… it means the young people around us in our wider familes… in our neighbourhoods and schools…
We need to take an honest look around us at our church family. If, in our minds eye we wind the clock on ten years.... if nothing changes where will our church be? If we don’t reach the next generation where will we be?
Who are you inviting along, who are you praying for, who are you sharing Jesus with…?
It’s a joyful task - we have the best news about the greatest saviour to share - -he who brings us love, salvation and security like nothing and nobody else can.
Let’s ponder the wonderful security he brings….
Let’s praise him for it
And let’s PRIORITISE making him know to the next generation.
Let’s go and do it!
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Let’s pray for it now.
