Sermon Tone Analysis

*Context: Jesus the king coming to Jerusalem*

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*Text: Psalm 24*

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*On 17th July 2005*

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*Introduction *

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(Using three cups)

 

Look at this how many cups can you see, one yes but in fact there are three

 

Three cups close together, so close that if you look at them the right way they look like only one

 

Well there are many Old Testament texts like that, they seem to be talking about one thing but in fact are reefing to 2 or maybe three other events

 

I believe this is true about this Psalm before us today.

Yes it has very down to earth picture of King David walking up to Jerusalem celebrating the victory that God had given him, but the victory of Jesus on the cross  also seen here, as well Jesus final victory when returns to earth  set up His everlasting Kingdom

 

So let’s bare this in mind as we look at these verses

 

*A) Marching up the hill*

 

In this majestic psalm we move as if in procession with the King of Glory from the provinces of His realm to 'the central height' and the city at the summit.

It is a ceremonial occasion

 

Maybe an enthronement festival

 

Maybe the escorting of the ark by David 'with song and lyres and harps from Kirjath-jearim to mount Zion

 

But, while an historic setting may explain a background which God used to trigger the inspiration of this psalm, it clearly is inadequate to explain the psalm’s literal fulfillment.

We should therefore recognize that this psalm refers to a future time when God in person will reign from Jerusalem

 

This psalm pictures our Victorious God arriving to possess the citadel He has conquered, just as David and the ark transformed the Jebusite stronghold into the hill and city of the Lord.

Here is our great creator God who owns the earth and its entire contents coming back to claim His throne

 

Here is a picture a city's founder

 

Someone who has established a great city by his might power

 

Every house, every building, every shop, ever road belong the founder of this city

 

He is the cities Creator and Sustainer

 

Like a thorough lawyer, God spells out specifically that the entire creation, all proceeding from it, and all dwelling in it, are His possession.

Nothing can supplant the Creator’s rights, and none of His creation can escape His claims;

 

He alone deserves the worship of all creation.

All the fruitfulness of the earth belongs to God

 

But He wants to share it with the people he has made

                                                                                               

*B) But who can go?*

After the opening part of this psalm in which mankind acknowledges its Creator, it moves on and asks the two questions.

These questions recognize both that mankind is separated from its Creator, yet that it is also somehow possible to reestablish a relationship with Him.

It asks the question how the likes of you and me can give God the worship he deserves

                  

How can the believer gain access and ‘take his stand’ secure, in the presence of the Lord

 

This was something worth doing

 

But it was not as easy as just turning up

 

Verse 4 seems to infer that more is required

 

We need clean hands and a pure heart

 

Verses 1-2 have told us that we are never out of God's presence.

But there is, in a different sense, no coming into his presence, without the four qualifications of verse 4.

 

For he who made all places also made one special holy place where he promised to meet with his people in a special way:

 

In David's time and for a thousand years after, it was the hill of Zion

 

To meet God there required right living, right thinking, a right relationship with him, and a right relationship with one's fellows.

But these things, which enable us to have a right standing with God could only be received, not achieved

 

These are things which the God who saves from sin gives to those who seek him.

We need salvation; we need to receive this gift of righteousness from God our Savior.

Those who ascend the hill of the Lord are not givers but receivers.

And this is true for us today we can only really know Him and serve Him because of what He has done for us in Jesus Christ

 

We cannot stand in presence because of anything we have done but only because but only because of His grace

 

This is the wonder of the gospel

 

Holy living ensures a blessing as its reward from God, but holy living is itself a blessing of the New Covenant and a delightful fruit of the Spirit.

God first gives us good works to do empowers us to do them by the Holy Spirit, and then rewards us for them.

That’s awesome

 

And who does he give this righteousness to those who “seek Him”

 

This humble longing for God, was the basic requirement for those who would come to meet with him on Mount Zion.

Yet they are only seekers; nothing more

 

True seekers are very dear to God

 

To desire communion with God is a purifying thing.

To hunger and thirst more and more after a clear vision of the face of God; this will lead us to purge ourselves from all filthiness.

The words of Randy Stonehill song *I thirst for you* sum this up

 

And Lord I thirst for you,

 

Like a man in the desert needs water to drink.

And I cling to you, like a drowning sailor,

 

Trying not to sink

 

And I want to trust in your hand of love,

 

More than what I feel or think

 

I really do - I thirst for you.

Really awakened souls seek the Lord above everything, and as this is not the usual desire of mankind, they are despised by men but loved by God.

When we seek we leave aside all others properties and considerate on one thing  

 

Like the lady with the lost coin in Luke 15

 

1 Chronicles 22:19 says now devote your heart and soul to seeking the LORD your God.

God promises to be found by those who really seek him

 

Deuteronomy 4:29 says

But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul.

God's desire is that all people should seek after him and find him.

Those who seek God with all their heart are rewarded, but those who fail to seek him do so to their eternal loss.

And the Consequences of seeking God are:

 

It leads to life

          Amos 5:4-6

It leads to forgiveness

          2Ch 7:14

It leads to blessing

          Ps 119:2

It leads to provision

          Ps 34:8-10

It leads to protection

          Ps 27:4-5

It leads to understanding and wisdom

          Pr 28:5

It leads to renewed strength

          Isa 40:30-31

 

And Hebrews 11v6 tells us that everyone who diligently (who is persistent and hard-working in their effort to seek God) will be rewarded

 

*C) Hey who’s that?*

The psalm now moves from individual men ascending into the mount

 

To Yahweh coming among men

 

This psalm has a progressive structure, it moves from creation, to man’s reconciliation to God, to God’s return to earth to take His rightful place among His subjects.

The topic changes from man seeking to ascend to God, to the acceptance by humanity of Yahweh as their God

 

An acceptance marked by man freely installing Him as their sovereign

 

And this acceptance of the LORD Almighty was based on his right of conquest.

As David conquered the fortress of Zion, by conquest because ‘the LORD gave [him] victory