Planted in the house of the LORD

Psalm 92: 12 The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; 13 planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God. 14 They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, 15 proclaiming, “The Lord is upright; he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him.” NIV

Oh this is one of those attendance sermons, where we are told the importance of going to Church, right? Let’s see.

Most people today when they look for a Church they ask themselves the question “What do I get out of it?”

OK God is not afraid of that question.

The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon

The simple meaning of “the righteous” is the ones that have right standing with God.

He has already made you righteous through the life, death, resurrection and ministry of Jesus Christ.
He did a lot so you could enter in…

Both evergreens

Symbols of stability and fruitfulness

Palm tree – fruitfulness, external

The palm branch was a symbol of triumph and victory in pre-Christian times. The Romans rewarded champions of the games and celebrated military successes with palm branches. Early Christians used the palm branch to symbolize the victory of the faithful over enemies of the soul, as in the Palm Sunday festival celebrating the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. In Judaism, the palm represents peace and plenty. Today, palms remain a popular symbol for the tropics and vacations

Cedar tree – stability and fruitfulness spiritually

The word used to build the temple of Solomon
Used to make a special water to cleanse people of sin in the Old Testament. Numbers 19

Planted in the house of the Lord they will flourish in the courts of our God

Attendance is not being planted!

I saw a show growing up where this young boy was told that he was going to be a father and have children because he held a girl’s hand. Ridiculous right? Well it is just as silly to think that attendance is being planted.

Planted is… On purpose, with purpose

1 Corinthians 12: 18 But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. NIV

Someone planted – God

For a reason - fruit

V:13 They will flourish

Where? …in the courts of our God.

they will flourish in the courts of our God

in his presence * You can meet God anywhere, but he does have a meeting place for his people and that is the local Church.

They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green,

As I get older, I like the sound of that more and more.
Fresh and green – not stale and dried up, bitter and pessimistic…

Proclaiming, “The Lord is upright; he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him.”

I will live with and end with this testimony
He is faithful!

Let’s plant an unmovable monument, pillar in our lives. Let’s not neglect what is our heritage.

Hebrews 10: 19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. 25 Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. NIV