Sermon Tone Analysis

AM I QUALIFIED TO WALK WITH GOD? Psalm 15

INTRODUCTION

Receive official looking envelop in mail.

As examine it more closely-see is invitation & return address is Washington, D.C.

The little replica-White House in corner catches attention!

Carefully open envelop so don’t damage contents.

Inside is card with words “you are invited” at top.

Before finish reading card, mind forms quest, “What will I wear?” Rest of invitation spells out details. Initial quest comes back, “What will I wear?

How does one prepare to spend evening at White House?”

That= quest before us this morning, only in different set.

How does person prepare to meet with God? Clarify—not for salvat.

God accepts most depravd sinner just as is if intent is repent & put faith in Christ. 2 extremes exercisd in past.

On one hand, there have been times when the holiness of God has been stressed so powerfully, that the ordinary mortal has felt it impossible to approach God in worship, prayer.

On other hand, the open access to God in prayer has sometimes been so stressed that admission to God’s presence becomes thotless & casual matter.

Between 2 poles, is proper median: there is indeed access to Holy God in worship, prayer-but it must be employed carefully, not casually, with appropriate preparation & reverence.

Ps15 provides guide to such access; it reflects the wisdom, prior to entering the divine presence in worship, of reflecting upon the requirements presupposed of worshiper.

I. WHO IS QUALIFIED TO WALK WITH GOD? v1.

A. Who is the question addressed to?

LORD=Yahweh-4 letters YHWH appear w~/t vowels-consider so sacred-Jews insert vowels *Adonay*-never pronounc.

Make determin precise mean difficult.

Can agree=God chose it as His personal name by which He related specificaly to chosen covenant peop-relationship God establish=his peop.

B. Why ask the question?

Man intuitively knows-holy God can’t accept presence of unclean humans &  from begin time-ask quest-what do I need to do to come into God presence?

Micah-differ-same idea: 6:6-8 With what shall I come before the LORD & bow down before the exalted God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old?

Will the LORD be pleased with 1000s of rams, with 10,000 rivers of oil?

Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgressn, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?

He has showed U, O man, what is good.

& what does the LORD require of U? To act justly & to love mercy & to walk humbly with your God.

Appear logical to writers of Script-not everyone qualified be in place of closeness with God.

Basically one question stated in two ways.

--dwell in the sanctuary=to live as a stranger, someone who at one time had been citizen of another country but has chosen to take up residence in new location.

Sanctuary=tent.

Word neutral & depends on context for interpret-eg Ps84:10 Better is one day in your courts than a 1000 elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.

Fitting to explain it this way as think of God’s sanctuary-at one time we lived outside God house but no longer.

Paul fully identifies OT sense of the foreigner adopted into the faith in speak of reconciliat of Gentiles, Jews-Eph 2:13-19 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel & foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope & without God in the world…Christ came & preached peace to you who were far away & peace to those who were near.

For thru him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

Consequently, you are no longer foreigners & aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people & members of God’s household.

--live on your holy hill.

Holy hill=another way indicat place-God dwells.

Frequent OT refer high places-worship centers Ps 43:3 Send forth your light & your truth, let them guide me; let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where U dwell.

Ps 87:1 He has set his foundaton on the holy mountain.

God’s Response:

With our NT thinking-jump Acts 16:31-Believe in the Lord Jesus, & you will be saved.

That would have created a “Huh?” moment for psalmist, scratching head in confusion as to mean.

So God respond in way-understand.

II.

GOD’S QUALIFICATIONS TO DWELL IN HIS SANCTUARY v2-5a.

Note-God doesn’t get into “big” sins, knowing that if our charac, attitude correct he won’t have deal with murder, adultery, apostasy.

List=issues with which anyone struggle.

Nor any refer to extern evid such as sacrif, offerings.

A. Lifestyle v2.

Blameless=conveying the meaning of that which is complete, blameless, just, honest, perfect, peaceful, etc.; hence an attribute or an attitude that reflects genuineness, reliability.

Blameless signifies a moral way of life.

Not synonymous with “perfect” but with an attitude of the heart desirous of pleasing God.

An unclouded relationship between God and the righteous.

Righteous=legal term which involves the whole process of justice.

1998-Jim Carrey star in movie-“The Truman Show”.

Movie about “insurance salesman~/adjuster who discovers his entire life is actually a TV show.”

Every move makes=televised on nat’l TV, from time born until breaks away & goes to Fiji.

Audience sees first steps & grad.

Aud sees get job & aud sees him realize that whole life on display.

What about your life?

Is on display.

Not every part of it, but many parts seen by those around you.

What does it look like to them?

What kind person comes to church every week?

What you look like to them?

Not to say that we make mistakes.

Pastor once said: “If I’ve never disappointed you, just wait around a little bit—I will sooner or later.”

All make mistakes.

But, not talking about mistakes make as grow thru life—talk about consistent reputation.

Does it represent qualities of Xian?

You blameless?

Will Rogers, actor, writer, speaker (1879–1935) Live so that you wouldn't be ashamed to sell the family parrot to the town gossip.

B. Speech v3.

1.

What he says will be constructive - v2c-3a \\ -truth

Person of truth deeply imbedded in heart.

Pr4:23 Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.

Person speaks truth.

Scottish poet, Sir Walter Scott wrote epic poem about battle fought in 1500s.

In this poem we find one of the most famous lines in all of literature:

Oh, what a tangled web we weave

When first we practice to deceive!

If truth isn’t in hearts-certainly won’t be evident in words, action.

/New York Times-4-27-07; /Marilee Jones, dean admiss-MassInTech(MIT), recently resigned after admit résumé submitted 28 years ago for entry level posit in admiss dpt-filled with lies.

As far as school knew, Ms. Jones had attended & grad Albany Med Coll, Union Coll & Rensselaer Polytechnic Inst—3 well-respect schools-NY.

Rensselaer is only institution to have any record of ever being there—& only as p-t student for just one school year!

"I misrepresented my academic degrees when I first applied to MIT 28 years ago & did not have the courage to correct my résumé when I applied for my current job or at any time since," Ms. Jones-statement post on MIT's website.

"I am deeply sorry for this & for disappointing so many in the MIT community & beyond who supported me, believed in me, & who have given me extraordinary opportunities."

Since Ms. Jones took position of dean of admissions in 1997, she has widely been considered guru in field.

In fact, written number of books, including /Less Stress, More Success/, where writes: "Holding integrity is sometimes very hard to do because the temptation may be to cheat or cut corners.

But just remember that 'what goes around comes around,' meaning that life has a funny way of giving back what you put out."

-no slander

To slander-spy—slander, like spying is stealthy, hidden.

Contrary to person-Isa29:13 The Lord says: “These people come near to me with their mouth & honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.

Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men.

Will think of how can encourage rather than discour-Eph4:29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

Young boy coercd dad into bedroom-play game darts.

Dad tired, reluctant, yet force self, plop down on bed, & watched as son took careful aim & let fly, dart after dart.

After several mins, dad, "Son, when I get to throw darts?"