The Next Best Thing

Introduction

Good morning. If you have your Bibles, we will be walking through today.

As you turn there, you may or may not be interested to know that Christmas is only 58 days away.

For most of us, October still a little early to be thinking about December 25th,

But for retailers, preparation for

but, for most retailers, preparing for this Christmas began right after last Christmas, as they put together plans to role out their ‘next best thing’ - the new and improved product over last years product

the best thing compared to anything around it.

Now, clearly, this idea of ‘the next best thing’ isn’t limited to Christmas. It’s become a regular part of our lives to evaluate a product based on what we currently have and what else is currently available -

But before I get to the text, I’d like to

We are constantly pressed to look

As Christians, we look forward to celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, even though October is probably still a bit early to be thinking about it.

- and every manufacturer wants us to believe that their product is the ‘next best thing.’

It’s part of our normal everyday life to compare products when preparing to make a purchase, and every manufacturer wants us to believe that their product is the ‘next best thing.’

but for many in the retail business, and probably even beyond that, preparation for Christmas began right after Christmas last year - as they began planning how to role out ‘the next best thing’ for this Christmas.

This isn’t limited to a holiday, and it’s not always bad. We are constantly evaluating what the next best thing is compared to what has come before it and what is currently available. It’s part of our normal everyday life to compare products when preparing to make a purchase, and every manufacturer wants us to believe that their product is the ‘next best thing.’

But, when it comes to God, we must be

Unfortunately, in the days of the Old Testament, Israel faced this same temptation when it came to serving other gods. They would go after gods that they thought were more attractive for one reason or another, and in doing so, would turn their attention from the one true God.

We face similar temptations today. All of the exciting ‘next best things’ that press in around us can cause us to divide our worship between God and a broad range of vague idols.

is a call for us to narrow the focus of our worship to the only One who truly deserves it.

Good morning. If you have your Bible, please turn to page

include the next best thing, ramping up for Christmas, manufactures preparing and people looking for the next best thing - whats it going to be…a phone, a toy…

what determines the next best thing - its ‘value’ or desire for it, based on the products around it, and the products of the past.

Today, we are going to be discussing God’s holiness, and I want to highlight before we start what is meant by the holiness of God - read quote. There is nothing to compare God to. We don’t speak of God as the best, because there is nothing else that we can compare him to. When we speak of our holy God, there never was, and never will be, a ‘next best thing’ - God is the standard by which all other things are measured - and all other things are measured according to their holiness.

Read Passage

1: The LORD reigns; let the peoples tremble!

He sits enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth quake!

2: The LORD is great in Zion;

He is exalted over all the peoples.

3: Let them praise your great and awesome name!

Holy is He!

4: The King in his might loves justice.

You have established equity;

You have executed justice

and righteousness in Jacob.

5: Exalt the LORD our God;

Worship at his footstool!

Holy is He!

6: Moses and Aaron were among his priests,

Samuel also was among those who called upon his name.

They called to the LORD, and he answered them.

7: In the pillar of the cloud he spoke;

They kept his testimonies

And the statute that he gave them.

8: O LORD our God, you answered them;

You were a forgiving God to them

but an avenger of their wrong doings.

9: Exalt the LORD our God,

and worship at his holy mountain;

for the LORD our God is holy!

Pray

He usits enthroned upon the cherubim; vlet the earth quake!

2  The Lord is wgreat in Zion;

he is xexalted over all the peoples.

3  Let them praise your ygreat and awesome name!

zHoly is he!

4  aThe King in his might bloves justice.1

You have established equity;

you have executed justice

and righteousness in Jacob.

5  cExalt the Lord our God;

dworship at his efootstool!

zHoly is he!

English Standard Version Psalm 99

99 The LORD reigns; let the peoples tremble!

He sits enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth quake!

2  The LORD is great in Zion;

he is exalted over all the peoples.

3  Let them praise your great and awesome name!

Holy is he!

4  The King in his might loves justice.

You have established equity;

you have executed justice

and righteousness in Jacob.

5  Exalt the LORD our God;

worship at his footstool!

Holy is he!

6  Moses and Aaron were among his priests,

Samuel also was among those who called upon his name.

They called to the LORD, and he answered them.

7  In the pillar of the cloud he spoke to them;

they kept his testimonies

and the statute that he gave them.

8  O LORD our God, you answered them;

you were a forgiving God to them,

but an avenger of their wrongdoings.

9  Exalt the LORD our God,

and worship at his holy mountain;

for the LORD our God is holy!

6  fMoses and Aaron were among his gpriests,

Samuel also was among those who hcalled upon his name.

They icalled to the Lord, and he answered them.

7  In jthe pillar of the cloud he spoke to them;

they kkept his testimonies

and the statute that he gave them.

English Standard Version Psalm 99

99 The LORD reigns; let the peoples tremble!

He sits enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth quake!

2  The LORD is great in Zion;

he is exalted over all the peoples.

3  Let them praise your great and awesome name!

Holy is he!

4  The King in his might loves justice.

You have established equity;

you have executed justice

and righteousness in Jacob.

5  Exalt the LORD our God;

worship at his footstool!

Holy is he!

6  Moses and Aaron were among his priests,

Samuel also was among those who called upon his name.

They called to the LORD, and he answered them.

7  In the pillar of the cloud he spoke to them;

they kept his testimonies

and the statute that he gave them.

8  O LORD our God, you answered them;

you were a forgiving God to them,

but an avenger of their wrongdoings.

9  Exalt the LORD our God,

and worship at his holy mountain;

for the LORD our God is holy!

8  O Lord our God, you answered them;

you were a forgiving God to them,

but man avenger of their wrongdoings.

9  Exalt the Lord our God,

and worship at his nholy mountain;

for the Lord our God is holy!

There are two things I would like to draw our attention to before we begin working through this passage.

First, in the ESV Bible, when you see the word LORD in all capital letters, the name being translated there is Yahweh.

This name carries with it the reminder that God is unchanging, he is eternal, and that he needs or relies on absolutely nothing. In other words, the name Yahweh reminds us that God is not like us or any other created thing.

This is important to note, because when the OT Authors used the word Yahweh, they had in mind the eternal, unchanging, self-sustaining nature of God. (holiness of God) Throughout this message, I will use the name Yahweh with the hope that it will remind us of who God is, especially of his holiness,

Secondly,

You will notice in verses 3 and 5 the phrase ‘Holy is he’ referring to Yahweh, and in verse 9, for Yahweh our God is holy!’

Holiness is the fullest expression of God, and yet it is impossible for us to fully comprehend.

In its most basic sense, the idea of holiness here refers to two things.

It is this holiness that defines God’s attributes and motivates his actions.

In our passage today, we will see that Yahweh

Yahweh is exalted far above everything in absolute majesty.

It is this holiness, this majesty and purity, that defines the rest of God attributes. In our passage today, we will see that God is

And Yahweh is the standard for absolute purity.

In light of his holiness, Yahweh is revealed as an unapproachable God, and before him, we are exposed as wretched, unholy, sinners.

AW Tozer explains it this way:

“We can't grasp God's holiness by thinking of something pure, and then raising that idea of purity to the highest level we can think of - God is not simply the best we know, only better”

Do you see what he is saying there - in an effort to understand God, our tendency is to look around for something to compare him to.

When it comes to God, there is no comparison, there is no existing standard by which we can measure God -

he is the perfect standard that everything else is compared to.

When it comes to Yahweh, there is no 'next best thing' that is worthy of a second of our worship.

Yahweh alone is holy, and worthy of our undivided worship.

In the first 2 verses, we see that Yahweh is holy in his authority.

I. Yahweh is holy in his authority.

A. Yahweh reigns with supremacy.

First, in verse 1, we see that Yahweh reigns, enthroned on upon the cherubim.

The emphasis here is that Yahweh reigns, no one else. He alone reigns.

And he reigns enthroned upon living throne. A throne that is made up of astounding, angelic beings that are called cherubim.

In Chapter 1 of Ezekiel, Ezekiel gets a glimpse of this

Maybe a king in Israel’s day had the ability to kick up some dust with his chariot, maybe today the leader of a nation can make his presence known with the weapons of his army -

Y

But, as Yahweh moves on his living throne, fire flashes continually, lightening flashes, he moves with the sound of many waters, and with the sound of an army.

Sure

Maybe the most powerful human king in Israel’s day, after he got up from his lifeless throne, could go kick up some dust with his chariot, maybe he could kick up a lot of dust with an army of chariots.

Maybe today, from behind his lifeless desk, the leader of a country can give an order that will display his earthly power and authority...

But Ezekiel had a vision of Yahweh’s living throne and his description is stunning. He reveals this living throne as a terrifyingly powerful and moving throne.

There is fire and lightening, there are cherubim with the appearance of burning coals.

They have four faces and four wings each and they move like torches.

There are rims and spokes and, as it moves, there is the sound of many waters together with the sound of an army.

(I encourage you to read chapter 1 and chapter 10 of Ezekiel and ponder the wonder of Yahweh’s throne of cherubim).

This is Yahweh’s living throne, from it he reigns supreme,

Sure

and people are called to tremble, and the earth is instructed to quake.

It is impossible to ignore the reign of Yahweh.

It is impossible to ignore the reign of Yahweh.

And he reigns, not from a dead throne, but from a living throne of cherubim, angelic beings that

The earth, and the people on it, cannot ignore the reign of Yahweh.

The earth cannot ignore it, and those living on the earth cannot ignore it.

In the presence of Yahweh, the people tremble and the earth quakes.

Now, It may be possible to deny it for a season, but eventually, every person will tremble before Yahweh, either in terror and fear or in awe and worship.

B. Yahweh reigns in Zion.

In verse 2 we see that that Yahweh reigns supreme in Zion, which refers to the people of God,

BUT not only Zion, we also see Yahweh is exalted over all peoples.

Yahweh is compared to NO ONE, and he is exalted over EVERYONE - all people are under his holy authority.

Could be an up and coming politician, or a sports star, or the leader of a business.

It doesn’t matter who you are -

Compared to the people around them, these people are thought to be the ‘next best thing’ - BUT only when compared to the people around them.

On the other hand -

you might be.....

It doesn’t matter how powerful or successful or great someone might be.

you might be an evil pers

It doesn’t matter how evil or how good someone might be.

It doesn’t matter if someone is a Christian or an atheist

Yahweh is compared to NO ONE, and he is exalted over EVERYONE - all people are under his holy authority.

It doesn’t matter how powerful or successful or great someone might be.

It doesn’t matter how evil or how good someone might be.

It doesn’t matter if someone is a Christian or an atheist

We are all under Yahweh’s reign and authority.

And even though many have tried to remove Yahweh from his throne by ignoring him or challenging his authority, HE STILL REIGNS

Mutiny will not work. Ignoring him will not work.

In

Our only hope is to find favor with this holy King

- that we might be allowed worship him.

C. We worship Yahweh with praise.

And, as you see in verse 3, we are called to do just that. All people are called to praise the great and awesome name of Yahweh.

We are called to proclaim him and thank him for who he is and what he has done.

We are called to exalt him as the holy King that he is

above all and unlike all that he has created.

We are called to worship him with undivided worship.

The idea of worship throughout the Bible has to do with the emptying of ourselves before the One who is worthy.

As we turn our focus and our worship to Yahweh in praise,

we are acknowledging that he is Yahweh,

and that he is worthy of our undivided worship.

II. Yahweh is holy in his character.

In verse 4, we see that Yahweh is holy - not only in his authority, but also - in his character.

Yahweh loves justice.

Specifically in his love and desire for perfect justice.

Micah tells us, in verse 8 of Chapter 6, what God considers good - to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with him

In we read that a false balance is an abomination to Yahweh, but a just weight is his delight.

And in Deuteronomy chapter 10, - we see that God is not partial (he does not show favor to people because of who they are) and he takes no bribe.

Jude 15

Yahweh acts justly.

And, accordingly, Yahweh’s actions always reflect his love for justice.

They are always the standard - He always does what is right, with the right motive.

He never bends, he never makes a shady deal, he never compromises - he stands firm as a just God who is pure and holy in his character.

The name Jacob, in verse 4, refers to God’s dealings with Israel in the Old Testament - where his holy character and his love for justice were constantly revealed through his righteous actions.

Now, if someone asked what makes a good judge, this is probably what the description would look like. We would all speak highly of a judge

- who has a deep love and concern for justice -

- who always does what is absolutely right -

- who never shows partiality -

- who never entertains bribes -

But, as Isreal proved quite regularly, when Yahweh is the standard, we are in trouble.

We like justice when we can water it down enough to make us feel comfortable.

But, we start to feel uncomfortable when the perfect justice and righteousness of Yahweh expose the depths of our fallen condition.

In light of Yahweh’s holiness, we are quickly revealed as unholy creatures.

We have all turned from God to serve ourselves -

As RC Sproul puts it in his book The Holiness of God, we are guilty of cosmic treason

We worship Yahweh in humility.

And yet, in verse 5, we are called into the presence of Yahweh’s throne, to exalt him and worship at his footstool.

The idea here is that we are to lift Yahweh high, acknowledging his holiness, as we are bowed low in worship at his footstool.

There, at his footstool, as exposed sinners, we worship Yahweh in humility.

In worship, we seek to be emptied of ourselves, that our motives and our actions might be turned away from us and exalt Yawheh.

III. Yahweh has mercy on unholy people.

How is it? that we, exposed, wretched, unholy sinners can be called into the presence of holy Yahweh?

Only because Yahweh has mercy on unholy people.

A. Yahweh communicates with unholy people.

This mercy begins with the fact that Yahweh even communicates with us.

In verse 6, the author of the Psalm calls to mind Moses, Aaron, and Samuel.

In the days of the nation of Isreal, these were men who mediated between Yahweh and his people. They were among the priests and prophets who called out to Yahweh on behalf of the people, and who heard from Yahweh when he answered them.

Don’t let that go unnoticed - they called out to Yahweh - they recognized their need for him

and he answered them. Three times the writer calls this to our attention

He answered them

From the pillar of the cloud, speaking about Moses on behalf of the people in the wilderness - he spoke to them.

And again in verse 8, he answered them.

Through his chosen leaders, God communicated with his people.

If you will look at the end of verse 7, we see another way that Yahweh has communicated with us - by giving us something-

He has revealed himself to us through his testimonies and his statute that he gave to Isreal, that we might know more about who he is.

All of this communication between holy Yahweh and unholy people is an act of mercy and grace on the part of Yahweh.

Please do not miss this - any communication between holy Yahweh and unholy people is an act of mercy and grace on the part of Yahweh.

We see, in verse 7, that these men called as leaders of God’s people, were men who loved God, men who kept the testimonies and statute that he gave them.

But, they were still sinners

B. Yahweh forgives unholy people.

We see, in verse 7, that these men called as leaders of God’s people, were men who loved God, men who kept the testimonies and statute that he gave them.

But, they were still sinners who needed forgiveness, and whose sin had to be dealt with.

Both Moses and Aaron were prevented from entering the land that God had promised to Israel because of what was called an act of rebellion - rebellion that Yahweh says in was a failure to believe in him, and a failure to uphold his name as holy in the eyes of the people.

If you remember, this was where they were instructed to speak to the rock in order to bring water out, and instead Moses struck the rock with his staff, in direct disobedience to Yahweh.

God didn’t punish them eternally for their disobedience, but at the same time, as a lover of what is just and right, he didn’t allow their sin to be without consequence.

Brothers and sisters, thousands of years after this psalm was written

YAHWEH HASN’T CHANGED

He still reigns with holy authority

He still acts justly according to his holy character

He still acts justly, according to his holy character.

And he still lovingly extends mercy to unholy people.

and he still extends mercy to unholy people.

But for us today, things have become much clearer.

God no longer speaks through priests and prophets - but, as says, he has spoken to us through his Son.

Jesus Christ, who is

At the cross, we see God’s authority over death and his absolute justice satisfied.

In Christ, we find forgiveness for all of our trespasses, all of our rebellion. He has paid our debt in full, and released us from the eternal penalty of our sin.

And in Christ, we are brought into the eternal favor of our holy God.

How are we to respond?

C. We worship Yahweh in Christ

Verse 9 calls us to come and worship at God’s holy mountain. To be emptied of ourselves before Yahweh.

The idea here is the same as in verse 3, lifting Yahweh high as we bow worship. We acknowledge his absolute holiness, and we are bowed low as exposed sinners

I want to take you to the time when Isreal had been released from Egypt, and they come to a mountain called mount Sinai

When Israel left Egypt, they came to a physical mountain called mount Sinai

When Israel left Egypt, they came to a physical mountain called mount Sinai

The presence of God descended on the mountain in fire, and the mountain was wrapped in smoke. The presence of God causes the whole mountain to tremble

and no person, no animal, was allowed to touch the mountain, or they would be put to death.

Apart from his permission and his provision, Yahweh is unapproachable

Th

But, says, we have come to Mount Zion

- to the city of the living God

- to the heavenly Jerusalem

- where there are innumerable angels

and where God himself, the judge of all, dwells.

In Christ, we are also called to do the unthinkable -

to approach the the throne of God with confidence, not confidence in our selves, but confidence in the finished work of Christ, which is our righteousness.

Brothers and sisters, we don’t need to search for the ‘next best thing’ to satisfy us. This temptation is real - but it is empty.

Here, at his holy mountain, where the glory of God dwells on a living throne,

We can acknowledge that Yahweh is worthy of our undivided worship.

the focus of our worship becomes very narrow -

We can exalt Yahweh in his absolute holiness, and we can bow low as exposed sinners who are forgiven.

In the presence of Yahweh, there is no doubt that he alone is worthy of our undivided worship.

Conclusion

Brothers and sisters, we are called to live lives that proclaim the excellencies of the God who saved us.

But the reality is, there are many ways that we can find our worship divided.

There are many things that are new, fresh, and exciting - the next best things that promise to give us an experience we have never had before.

On the other hand, there are many things that give us comfort simply because they have been around for as long as we can remember.

These things aren’t all bad when they are kept in their proper place,

BUT:

Anything or anyone that competes with Yahweh for our attention

We have been reconciled to Yahweh, for whom there is no comparison.

He will expose the things that compete with him for our attention,

Anything or anyone that competes with him for our attention

- the things that compete with him for influence in our lives

and the things that compete for our allegiance.

As he reveals these things, we can know that he will lovingly strengthen our faith and teach us narrow the focus of our worship to the One who is truly worthy of it.

Anything or anyone that competes with Yahweh for our allegiance

words and actions apart from him, the things that have our allegiance, that we are bowed down to rather than, or in addition to God, he will show us where we are caught up in pursuing the “next best thing” that excites us.

the things that have our allegiance,

that we are bowed down to rather than, or in addition to God,

In love, he will show us where our attention is caught up in pursuing the “next best thing” that excites us.

We

And, in the midst of such a broad range of vague idols, he will continually remind us to narrow the focus of our worship to him alone

for our allegiance

He is Yahweh, he is holy, and he is worthy of our undivided worship.

Anything that we would allow to influence our lives rather than, or in addition to, Yahweh,

Anything or anyone that would influence our lives

rather than, or even in addition to Yahweh

Rather than, or even in addition, to Yahweh

will cause divided and wasted worship.

With Yahweh,

For those who have not been reconciled to God, who do not know Yahweh as their King

and yet we are so easily distracted, looking for the ‘next best thing’ that excites us

- your worship goes anywhere but to Yahweh -

For you, the holy authority and the holy character of Yahweh is a terrifying reality.

But for those who have been brought into the presence of Yahweh through Christ, we can shout for joy!

Yahweh is holy, and worthy of our undivided worship.

IF TIME: In closing, I’d like to read from Revelation chapter 4, where we get a glimpse of God’s throne room in heaven.

READ AS TIME ALLOWS

Pray

Stand for final hymn - introduce hymn #100 - lets join the angels before Yahweh in singing holy holy holy.

Benediction