Worship God’s Presence - Psalms 48-50

Psalms 48:12-14 (ESV)

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.

This above verses are from a song about the City of God, Zion (Jerusalem).   This is a city that God chose to put His presence in and His holiness upon:

Psalms 132:13-14 (ESV)

For the LORD has chosen Zion;

he has desired it for his dwelling place:

“This is my resting place forever;

here I will dwell, for I have desired it.

The writer of the above lines (The Sons of Korah) are drawing attention to the Jerusalem and instructing the reader to walk through Jerusalem and admire the power of her protection.   Geographically and physically, Jerusalem was the perfect fortress.  It was surrounded by deep valleys on three sides.  The fortress was strong.   The writers are telling the reader to observe and consider her strength.  They are even asking them to worship and trust its strength.  

But if that is true, how do we balance verses like this:

Psalms 33:17 (ESV)

The war horse is a false hope for salvation,

and by its great might it cannot rescue.

Psalms 20:7-8 (ESV)

Some trust in chariots and some in horses,

but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.

They collapse and fall,

but we rise and stand upright.

Most of the prophets will later warn the nation to not trust in the walls of Jerusalem. How, then, can the Sons of Korah instruct them to trust in the walls and the citadels (a Hebrew word for castle or fortress)?  

The difference between this psalm and the verses in the prophets is the presence of God.  Note what the Sons of Korah write earlier in this song:

Psalms 48:3 (ESV)

Within her citadels God

has made himself known as a fortress.

What they are calling for is to walk through the city and see the presence of God.  They don’t want them to see brick and mortar.  They want them to see the Spirit of God in the midst of the city.  When the nation disobeys God, God will remove His presence from the city and Jerusalem will not longer be admired, or trusted.  

It is God’s presence that brings us strength.   It is not a building, a fortress, a horse, an army, a government, a church, a family or any other man-made tool. It is the presence of God that gives us safety. That is what we admire in worship.   

Memorial Services - 2 Samuel 1-4

2 Samuel 1:23-24 (ESV)

“Saul and Jonathan, beloved and lovely!

In life and in death they were not divided;

they were swifter than eagles;

they were stronger than lions.

“You daughters of Israel, weep over Saul,

who clothed you luxuriously in scarlet,

who put ornaments of gold on your apparel.

These verses are part of David’s lament over the death of Saul and Saul’s son, Jonathan.  Although Saul had attempted to kill David on many occasions, David still lamented his death and the death of Jonathon, David’s best friend.   Although Saul had little spiritual life, David still found something to praise in his death.   

This past week I went to a funeral of a friend’s father.   There was absolutely no spiritual conversation.  There was none that I heard.  There was, like above, praise and admiration for a life lived well.  That is a good thing.  But it was a sad thing, as well, in that no spiritual conversation took place in that public memorial.   This is true about Saul as well.  David does not praise Saul’s walk with God because Saul had little, if not none.  (I know nothing about my friend’s father.  Only that there was no public mention of spiritual connection with God.)

In our deaths, a memorial lament is always a good thing.  But let us live our lives in such a way that the conversation of our physical and earthly life are subservient to the conversation about the spiritual and, now, heavenly life.   May the talk at our death memorial be more about Him than us.  

Sing of God’s Glory - Exodus 13-16

Exodus 15:19-21 (ESV)

For when the horses of Pharaoh with his chariots and his horsemen went into the sea, the LORD brought back the waters of the sea upon them, but the people of Israel walked on dry ground in the midst of the sea. Then Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women went out after her with tambourines and dancing. And Miriam sang to them:

“Sing to the LORD, for he has triumphed gloriously;

the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea.”

This is the song that Moses and his sister, Mariam put together to commemorate the destruction of the Egyptians at the Red Sea. The entire point of the cross was to bring Israel to this point of praise and adoration.   Note what God said at the time of this destruction on Pharoah and his army:

Exodus 14:15-18 (ESV)

The LORD said to Moses, “Why do you cry to me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward. Lift up your staff, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, that the people of Israel may go through the sea on dry ground. And I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they shall go in after them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, his chariots, and his horsemen. And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have gotten glory over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen.”

God said, “I will get glory over Pharoah and all his host, his chariots, and his horsemen.”  This song is the outcome of that destruction.   God expects us to commemorate the great and mighty acts He does.  The book of Acts, it technically called, The Acts of the Apostles.  It is a history book to commemorate the great works God did in through the Apostles.  God wants us to commemorate His works in us and through us.  He wants us to commemorate what He has done.  The Lord’s Table is for that very reason.   We are to sing the marvelous works He has done for us and through us.  God is to be glorified by them.  

We Stand On The Ressurection of Christ - 1 Corinthians 15-16

1 Corinthians 15:1-2 (ESV)

Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.

Paul is about to close the letter he is writing to the church at Corinth.  The church is in a bad spot.  They are emphasizing the wrong things, allowing the wrong things to run free in their church and they are being hyper critical of Paul and his message. Paul, as he reminds them above, was the one who introduced to them the resurrection of Christ.   He uses several verbs in the above two verses to open these final two chapters.   They tell us a story and they gives us instruction for our own personal use:

1. Paul is writing to remind them of what he previously told them.  This is no new material.  They were in the place where they needed to go back to be reminded what they had heard, learned and accepted.  This is true for all of us.  Sometimes we just need to be reminded. 

2. Paul has preached to them the resurrection of Christ.  The Greek word for preached is euaggelizō. It is where we get our English world evangelize.  Paul is reminding them that they, at one time, needed to be evangelized.  He was fearful he had to do this again.  Sometimes we need to be preached at to remember where we started.  

3. They had received the Gospel message Paul preached.  This is vital to Paul’s argument in these two chapters.  He is reminding them that they had received the Gospel message.   They had brought the message near their hearts to believe it. 

4. They not only received it, they stand on it.  Paul reminds  them that they not only received it, but they were established in it.  Their security and stability were grounded in the Gospel.   We, too, stand secure on the resurrection of Christ. 

5. This receiving and standing on the Gospel is how they are being saved.  This does not mean they are not saved.  It means that their salvation is coming to fruition based upon the resurrection of Christ.  Their receiving the Gospel is the sole reason they can claim salvation.  

6. He now gives them his warning.   He tells them this is all true, if they hold fast to the resurrection and didn’t believe in vain.   He is not telling them that they can lose their salvation.  He telling them that failure to hold to the resurrection of Christ is to believe in vain.   It is absurd to say you are a believer in Christ and, at the same time, deny the resurrection of Christ.  This is where the chapter is going.   

Paul wants them to know he has presented the truth of the resurrection.  They have believed it.  Now is not the time to question it.   We stand strong and stable on the resurrection of Christ.  We are not to allow others to sneak into the church to question that major doctrine of our belief.  He will state in this chapter the following:

1 Corinthians 15:16-19 (ESV)

For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.

Our hope is entirely based upon the resurrection of Christ.  

Reputation Matters - Mark 11-12

Mark 12:41-44 (ESV)

And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”

Ecclesiastes 7:1 (ESV)

A good name is better than precious ointment,

and the day of death than the day of birth.

Proverbs 22:1 (ESV)

A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches,

and favor is better than silver or gold.

Proverbs 10:7 (ESV)

The memory of the righteous is a blessing,

but the name of the wicked will rot.

2 Corinthians 8:21 (ESV)

for we aim at what is honorable not only in the Lord’s sight but also in the sight of man.

Philippians 2:7 (ESV)

but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.

A person only has their reputation.   This widow changed her reputation by giving all she had.  Jesus made sure that others knew what she did.   

Reputation matters.   God changes our reputation.  

This Is The Reason - Jeremiah 17-21

Jeremiah 18:12 (ESV)

“But they say, ‘That is in vain! We will follow our own plans, and will every one act according to the stubbornness of his evil heart.’

This is the one summary verse of the entire reason for the Babylonian captivity.  

This is the reason the nation of Israel will be taken into captivity.   

This is the reason that man is separated from God.  

This is the reason that God sent His Son to redeem man.  

This is the reason Jesus lived a holy life to represent what man could not do. 

This is the reason that Jesus hung on the cross.  

This is the reason that rose from the dead.  

This is the reason Jesus sent the Spirit.  

This is the reason why Jesus is at the right hand of God to intercede for us in prayer.   

This is the reason Jesus is coming again.  

Because man rebels against God and wants to do his own plans, Jesus must intercede for man. 

Take Responsibility For Others - Job 31

Job 31:31-32 (ESV)

if the men of my tent have not said,

‘Who is there that has not been filled with his meat?’

(the sojourner has not lodged in the street;

I have opened my doors to the traveler),

In chapter 31, Job will end his speech to his three friends, who came to comfort him, but instead are confronting him.  In this chapter he gives numerous “if” statements, followed by the “then” statements.   Job was the originator of the IF-THIS-THEN-THAT philosophy of life.   In each of the THEN-THAT statements, it is quite graphic.    For example, here is one of them he just stated before the above two verses:

Job 31:21-22 (ESV)

if I have raised my hand against the fatherless,

because I saw my help in the gate,

then let my shoulder blade fall from my shoulder,

and let my arm be broken from its socket.

At the end of the IF-THIS statements in verses 29-39, we read this:

Job 31:40a (ESV)

let thorns grow instead of wheat,

and foul weeds instead of barley.”

Job is making the point to his three confronting friends, that he is not the person they are accusing him of being.   He has not done any of these IF-THIS statements.   The above two verses really show Job’s heart.  He is not only talking about his own actions, but he is also telling his three friends that he has made sure that those who worked for him did not do anything to warrant this attack on his life and health.   He is telling his accusers that he didn’t even allow those employed by him to do bad things to the vulnerable and weak.   

This shows us the responsibility we have for those who either work for us, or are in our community.  We are not to allow others to hurt others.   That is our responsibility, as well.   Job was innocent.  We know this from the first two chapters.  But he was also making sure those around him deported themselves in like manner.   We are responsible to make sure those in our circle walk in a way pleasing to God, just as we are.